Tale of the Frozen Memory
by MoonlightEternity
Summary: Syaoran and group have arrived in a new world in the tormented Kingdom of Silan and are begged by the King to save the Kingdom. Is the evil a trace of Sakura's memory? Sakura's and Syaoran's relationship may be at risk! Someone may even resort to murder..
1. Chapter 1: New World

**Author's notes:**  
Konnichiwa! I'm a newbie at Tsubasa fics XD But I'm totally addicted to the series. This story I actually thought up while I was daydreaming XD I'm a hopeless romantic So enjoy! The beginning is kind of bad (I'm not very good at those) but please enjoy! 

**Note: **I do not own any of the characters! They are copyright of CLAMP and I do not take credit for any EXISTING characters, though I will create a few of my own for the purpose of this story. My fic is basically a new world that Syaoran and the gang go to next. Note that it takes place after they leave the Outo world (where they were actually inside a game). Enjoy!

* * *

**Tale of the Frozen Memory**

The morning sun was still just crawling up the sleepy sky, but many farmers and peasants were in the dying fields, tending to the surviving crops. They rushed to finish before the sun could reach high above their heads and burn the back of their necks. Suddenly, as if an unknowing ellipse had dawned upon them, the sunshine disappeared. Workers looked up, to see a large black blob fall from the sky, and dissipate as it hit the ground, scattering a fierce wind that shook leaves from the ailing stems.

"Successful landing!" A white pork bun with rabbit–like ears pronounced, punching its white paw into the air. Beneath this peculiar object, a heap of bodies lay tangled and dizzy, a girl sitting on top rubbing her head.

"Success! SUCCESS!" A tall aggressive man dressed in full black jumped out from beneath the pile and seized the bun by his ears. "Landing in wheat in a heap is what you call success!" He started pulling the creature's cheeks, as if trying to see how far they could stretch.

"Nyaaa! Kuro-rin is hurting Mokona!" The white bun squeals unhappily. The other 3 were getting up now too, dusting off their clothing to free any dirt.

"Aw Kuro-puppy, Mokona was only trying to help." The blonde suggested. At that moment, the new arrivals noticed that many eyes were on them. Across the vast field, countless farmers were motionless, some halfway through a task. They all were silent, staring at the newcomers.

"Uh, Fye-san?" A handsome young boy with chocolate brown eyes looked to the blonde man in white.

"Hm…" Fye smiled. "I don't think we're welcome here."

As if the ice that froze the workers had instantly melted, all the farmers dropped their workloads and bustled around, shouting "Get the King, Harold! Get the King!" and mingles of "They've arrived! Our saviours are here!" A few came pattering towards them, ushering them towards the edge of the field.

"Mokona feels important!" The white bun said, clutching to the young girl in the strange group. She laughed and smiled in return. "Yes, Mokona is very special." Mokona hugged her and giggled.

Fye caught up to one of the workers bustling them forwards and asked, "Ma'am, we're very sorry to have intruded onto your land. May I ask where exactly you are taking us now?"

"To the palace of course. The King and Queen will be very eager to see you, sir."

Sakura, Syaoran, Fye, Kurogane, and Mokona were travelling in a white carriage tinted with gold, towards what they've been told is the palace of this land. The sound of the carriage horses' hooves echoed through the windows on the sides.

Sakura peered out the window, seeing many faces, all bowing to their carriage and cheering. "Why are they bowing to us?" She questioned in curiosity.

"Because Mokona has arrived! Mokona the-"The pork bun was cut short as Kurogane began pulling his cheeks again.

Syaoran smiled and replied, "They seem happy to see us, Sakura-hime… though I'm not sure why."

"We'll find out soon enough." Fye added dreamily, as he continued staring out the window, pushing the curtain back. Moments later, he relinquished his grasp and said, "We're here."

The group stepped out of the carriage, only to see an amazing sight. The palace, as white as fresh fallen snow, rose high into the sky, seeming to cut through the clouds and reach into the heaven itself. Towering white statues of angels and maidens mapped across the palace square, adding a peaceful tranquility to the atmosphere. In the centre stood a white marble fountain, the size of the carriage itself. It was overflowing with tiny bubbles from the foaming water, continuously encircling the basin. The square was currently empty, except for a few white doves floating dreamily in the sky, and the presence of the palace guards standing at the entrance.

"It's so beautiful!" Sakura gasped, staring in awe at her surroundings. On either side, perfect gardens sprung up, running parallel to the white cement tiles of the ground. Blooming summer fragrances filled the air.

The driver of their carriage bowed to them and extended one arm towards the palace doors. "Please, follow me. The King and Queen await your company." Syaoran and his group trailed after him, still gazing in awe at the landscape.

Inside was just as beautiful as the courtyard outside. Silk-woven tapestries hung from the high ceilings, adding radiant colours to the pure white of the marble walls. Giant crystal chandeliers dangled down from the unreachable top of the entrance hall. In the centre of the hall, a grand staircase fanned out at its base, inviting them to climb upwards, across the shiny white marble to reach for the heavens.

The guards at the foot of the stairs bowed as the travellers passed by as they ascended the stairs. The walls were covered with portraits of old rulers and important people, scattered across the vast upper floors, pronouncing the prominent figures in an array of costumes and postures. As they passed doorways, maids, servants, and butlers alike bowed and curtsied at the guests. Syaoran stared in awe at the wonderful architecture, an old fascination that had always lingered with him.

The driver finally stopped after what felt like countless steps in the palace, in front of a polished set of gold doors, encrusted with diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. He knocked twice, and slowly, as if coming to life, the doors swung inwards, and a bright light seeped through the crack, temporarily blinding the travellers. As their eyes adjusted, a magnificent view of the throne room appeared, flourished with riches and treasures. At the far end of the room, 2 figures sat in tall gold thrones, a third standing beside them.

"Announcing the arrival of the foreign travellers, to be in the presence of His Majesty, King Ethan, Her Majesty Maria, and Her Highness, Princess Esmerelda." A young page announced, standing at the doorway.

At the end of the room, bathed in the now late morning sun, the three Royalties stood, and Syaoran, Sakura and the others bowed down, showing paramount respect.

"Please, stand." King Ethan's voice boomed out, as he gracefully walked towards the travellers, arms outstretched. "We welcome you greatly to our humble Kingdom of Silan."

As the King strode closer, Syaoran could see he was quite young to be in such a rank of power. His brisk features illustrated him as a man in his 40's. The Queen and Princess followed suit, and stood silently beside King Ethan.

The Queen, unlike the King, seemed to be in her late 20's, having married at the age of 14; a tradition in their time period. She wore prized jewels and trinkets on her wrist and neck, radiating an air of prosperity and influence. Her blonde hair shone in the sunlight, glistening with her many jewels.

The princess was quite the same as her mother, though less tarnished with accessories. Her clinging blue dress hinted at her body's curves, a trait that matched the beauty of her angelic face. Esmerelda's long blonde hair hung down to her waist, her bangs tied back to reveal her shocking aqua blue eyes, matching the blue quartz on her crown. Esmerelda's eyes bored into those of the new arrival and a fire erupted in her eyes.

"Please, my dear sirs and madam, we have much to ask you." Her father's voice interrupted Esmerelda's entrance, and she once again turned her attention back to the rest of the travellers, listening intently to her father's words. She, like the travellers seemed to be, had no clue what all this excitement was about. Her father had seemed tense over the past few weeks, and now his voice sounded uneasily strained.

"Is it true that you arrived, falling from the sky? Are you here to save us from the evil, looming in the horizon? Are you the destined that will once again bring peace, like the legendary saviours of our Kingdom, to our beloved Silan?" The King imposed.

Fye stepped up, offering to answer the King's many inquiries. "Your Majesty, we did arrive by 'falling out of the sky', as you might say, but I'm afraid we don't know of this evil that you speak of, do we now Kuro-puppy?"

A vein popped in Kurogane's head, and Syaoran had to restrain him from launching at Fye for the nickname.

The King sighed, and rubbed his eyes, as if tired by unseen events. In Syaoran's eyes, though the King was young, he had an air of someone who has matured quickly in a short amount of time, and has gone through many hardships in his life already. "Very well, I shall tell you the story, passed down through generations of Royalty. From the beginning… back one century ago.

"The times were very well, and all led a happy life, though many evil shadows lurked about. One was a sorceress named Sephiria, a half-tenshi from another world. Some say her powers were not a large threat at the time because, being a half-tenshi, her sorceress powers could not fully awaken, kept under control by her good side.

"Then one night, as an eerie thunderstorm swept through the Kingdom, and the winds howled in unkempt voices, and a spell of pain and suffering unfolded. In that one night, the sorceress grew extremely powerful, and evil began to spread like wildfire. Crops died, disease spread, and famine claimed lives. The Kingdom went into a state of havoc and 2 weeks later, it was announced that the Royal Family had been murdered. The only survivor was the only child of the King and Queen. Prince Lindon was smuggled out by a servant, and hidden in a nearby Kingdom. Many, who had hoped the tenshi side of Sephiria would again control the powers, and seize the nightmare, but that side never came. Sephiria built a new army to help her reign. Citizens rebelled but their efforts were in vein. The generals under Sephiria seemed immortal, for nothing could defeat them. Until that one destined day.

As the stormy clouds continued circling in the sky and when all seemed lost, a group of strangers fell from the sky. The desperate citizens of the Kingdom pleaded for help, and the arrivals agreed to help. After a long hard battle, the group defeated the sorceress and confined her in a tower, on the outskirts of the Kingdom as an imprisonment for her actions. A spell was placed on Sephiria to suppress her evil side. Her legions were sentenced to time in dungeons and most of them, being mortals, have died off by now. Her main generals were locked up with Sephiria in separate rooms, but all in one murky castle. The Kingdom began to rebuild itself, and tried to award the strangers, but they were not to be found. After they had cursed the sorceress, no sight of them was seen again. Prince Lindon returned, and took the throne.

"But now, the curse seems to be wearing off. Events are beginning to reoccur, and crops have started to fail again. However… the most worrisome thing is… the Dark 13 has dawned again."

Syaoran asked, "Dark 13?"

The King seemed to have trouble speaking now. His breath grew raspy, and his hands, began to shake as he held them together. "The Dark 13 was a length of 13 days where mass murders and kidnappings took place each night, until on the 14th day, Sorceress Sephiria sends a message at dawn to the castle pronouncing the message 'Sephiria shall arrive at midnight.'

"Today…Tonight… will be the 13th. Tomorrow, Sephiria will rise again."

* * *

**Author's Notes:  
**Teehee Still there? That was chapter one! I hope you enjoyed it, and please continue reading! Now, who's this Sephiria character? What's she up to, and how'd she come to power? And whom exactly was Princess Esmerelda staring at? What will they think of Mokona! Stay tuned readers! 


	2. Chapter 2: Ballroom Confession

**Author's notes:** Hello again My fic doesn't sound too exciting right now does it? It's ok, it'll get better in this chapter! Romance and more drama kicks in mwahahahaha 

**Note:** I do not own any of the characters! They are copyright of CLAMP and I do not take credit for any EXISTING characters, though I will create a few of my own for the purpose of this story. My fic is basically a new world that Syaoran and the gang go to next. Note that it takes place after they leave the Oûto world (where they were actually inside a game). Enjoy!

**What happened last time:**

_Syaoran asked, "Dark 13?"_

_The King seemed to have trouble speaking now. His breath grew raspy, and his hands, began to shake as he held them together. "The Dark 13 was a length of 13 days where mass murders and kidnappings took place each night, until on the 14th day, Sorceress Sephiria sends a message at dawn to the castle pronouncing the message 'Sephiria shall arrive at midnight.'_

"_Today…Tonight… will be the 13th. Tomorrow, Sephiria will rise again."_

* * *

A deadly silence fell upon the throne room. The echoes of songbirds chirping beyond the window seemed alien to the mood within. The chilling tale sent shivers through Princess Esmerelda's spine. 

_A century old sorceress, come back to avenge her defeat?_

Fye was the first to speak, breaking the stillness. "Well, that explains why the townsfolk were so happy to see us. But one thing…. Its odd that you spoke of a sudden rise to power." He glanced to Kurogane, Syaoran, and Sakura.

"Feh." Kurogane grunted.

"Yes," Syaoran replied, staring out the long window to the side, watching the songbirds soar higher into the sky. "Sounds like Sakura's feather." Sakura looked up from the floor, giving a momentary look at his young face.

Syaoran turned his gaze away from the window, not noticing Sakura's fleeting glance of worry. He stared into the king's eyes, a newborn fire lit. "Your majesty, we will help you defeat Sephiria." _And get Sakura's feather back._ He added in thought.

At once, the King's features relaxed, as if a large amount of weight had been lifted from his aching shoulders. "Thank you, thank you so much. The Kingdom of Silan will forever be in your debt. Please, help yourselves to some food…" The King hurriedly ushered in some servants, all carrying silver trays. "You must all be famished by a long journey, I presume. Please, eat! I will have rooms prepared for you as soon as possible. Jacques!"

Syaoran, taken by surprise, stammered, "Eh-eh, no, really it's alright! We-" but before he could finish, Mokona jumped out from his travelling bag and launched himself at the awaiting trays.

"I smell chocolate cake!" Mokona began stuffing his mouth with the delectable dessert, as shocked servants stared in fear at the white pork bun that just talked, moved, and was currently digesting large amounts of cake.

"G-gomenasai!" Syaoran rushed forwards, and tried to pull Mokona away. Mokona picked up a piece of cake and flung it at Kurogane, giggling. The hall rang with laughter as the chunk landed on target, and Kurogane launched himself in fury at the white marshmallow.

"—YOU! —" Kurogane grabbed another piece and flung it at Mokona, who dodged it gracefully, and an epic battle of chocolate cake began, lightening the darkened mood hanging over the castle.

Syaoran smiled and laughed, and was soon pulled into the fight when Mokona flung a piece at him too. Sakura stood where she was, watching at his smiling face. Little did anyone know, just a few feet behind her, Princess Esmerelda was doing the exact same thing.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The afternoon breeze swept into the sunlit room, bringing the scents of the summer flowers below drifting through the window. Syaoran leaned against the windowsill, gazing out to the radiant gardens below. A knock came at the door. 

"Come in," Syaoran called out, as he turned around. Sakura stepped in, carrying a tray full of food, and two long bags, one more puffy than the other. Each seemed to be holding clothing of some sort.

"Sakura-hime."

"I was on my way to see you, and a maid was walking by with an armful of trays, so I thought I'd help her by carrying your share." Sakura held out the tray.

Syaoran smiled. Sakura had gotten so good at carrying a tray, especially because of her role at the café in Oûto World.

"Thank you," he said as she set the tray down on a wooden table beside him. "What are the bags for?"

"I'm not sure… I think they're outfits for the ball tonight. The maid was holding them as well, and handed me these two when I asked to help." The King had mentioned holding a ball for their arrival tonight as he took them to their rooms. Sakura held up one bag and took off the cloth cover to reveal a splendorous black cape. "Um…perhaps…not?"

A slip of parchment fell out, and Syaoran bent down to pick it off the cobbled stone floor. In neat cursive, the words "Please check wardrobe for full apparel" scratched across. He placed the parchment beside the tray, and headed for the dark rosewood wardrobe at the corner of the room. As e was about to pull open the door, Sakura let out an "Ah!" of surprise from behind. He turned on the spot. "Hime?"

"Eh… um…" Sakura was holding the second bag very closely in her arms. He face was turning crimson red. "I… I have to go, Syaoran-kun." She rushed straight out of the room, refusing to release her strong hold on the bag.

Syaoran stared after her in confusion. If the clothing of the bag was what he thought it was, was her outfit that bad? Hesitant, he reached for the wardrobe door again, and it creaked open in protest. Syaoran stared in disbelief at the contents of the wardrobe. Perhaps his sword would come into use.

The evening dawned slowly as the rouge sunset stained the old medieval scenery a bloody red and orange. Lords and their ladies, and many from the land entered grandly into the lavishly decorated ballroom. Servants had spent the entire day adorning the castle, preparing for the celebration ball. Tassels and bouquets of flowers hung from the ceilings and high walls, and the crystal chandelier glimmered in the soft glows of a million white-wax candles.

Laughter and the echo of merry voices sounded through the ballroom, as guests continuously arrived and made their entrance down the staircase into the ballroom. The final guests, garnished in the latest formal fashions had descended down the steps.

Syaoran stood at the foot of the stairs, dressed in full black armour, the black cape Sakura had brought him earlier tied to his back. White symbols streaked across the shining metal; portraying him like a gallant fairytale knight in glowing armour, ready to sweep a princess off her feet. A black sheath hung at his side, holding the sword Hien he got in Oûto. He was growing more worried by the minute. Where was Sakura? His thoughts began wandering, and cruelly lingered on one terrifying detail in particular. _Each night, mass murders and kidnappings take place…_

Panicking, Syaoran made to climb the stairs and rush to Sakura's room. But something stopped him. A growing silence descended upon the huge gathering, though the music still played on. Syaoran turned to find the crowd all staring at the top of the staircase, and followed their line of sight.

Standing at the very top, framed by the grand gold doorway behind, Sakura stood in a beautifully white dress, with folds hanging gently from her sleeves and the bell of her dress. In her hair, a beaded white hair ornament matching her dress, hung from her brown curls. Sakura's face flushed a light pink as the crowd below continued to stare in awe. Placing her hand on the white marble railing, she descended into the crowd and made towards Syaoran.

"Sakura-hime." Syaoran said as he bowed to her.

"D-does it look alright?" Sakura asked, her hands clinging tightly to a layer of her white dress.

"You look beautiful Sakura-hime, like a white angel from the heavens." He replied, with a bright sincere smile.

Sakura looked up in surprise and turned further red at the comment. Syaoran laughed quietly and asked genuinely, "Was the dress the reason you ran from my room?" The crowd around them had gradually begun chatting again, and the original chatter now mingled with the evening music.

"H-hai." She replied shyly. "Yours turned out quite handsome too, Syaoran-kun." Sakura looked away sheepishly as Syaoran too, felt embarrassed.

"Hoo whee!" Fye pretended to whistle. You two look like fairytale characters!" Clad in white ornamental robes, Fye strode up to them like a dauntless lord, his snow-white cloak billowing behind him. It made his blond hair seem even finer, his height increasing his sense of splendour. Mokona sat on his shoulder, while Kurogane, who dawned silver armour, stood behind looking bored.

Syaoran then caught a glimpse of something behind him. "Uh… Fye-san?"

"Hm?"

Behind Fye, a whole visible line of girls ushered behind a pillar was eyeing the three handsome male travellers with sparkles in their eyes. Some giggles and pushed each other, trying to get a closer glimpse of Syaoran, Fye, and Kurogane.

"Teehee, Mokona's attracting _ladies_!" Mokona concluded happily as the girls continued to giggle and squeal like mad fan girls.

"Excuse me, miss?" They all turned to see a young man, adorn in a midnight blue outfit. He stretched out his hand to Sakura. "Would you care to dance?"

"Um…" Sakura looked hesitantly towards Syaoran, who was deeply uncertain of what to do. Could he trust a stranger with the princess?

A hand clasped on Syaoran's shoulder, and he turned to see Fye smiling down on him, "Don't worry, Mokona will look after her."

"Yep, yep!" Mokona shouted enthusiastically as he bounced off Kurogane's head (much to Kuro-pin's dismay) to reach Sakura's shoulder. "I'll make sure she's a-ok, Syaoran!"

Syaoran smiled, and patted Mokona's head. "Thanks Mokona." He giggled in reply, then hung onto Sakura as the young man, standing with a new esteem in his pose, steered her off to the dance floor. As Syaoran watched them go, he noticed a few other guys staring after the young man in envy.

"Syaoran-kun?" A quiet voice from behind him shyly said. He turned to face Princess Esmerelda, wearing a pale turquoise gown, sinking low at the front. "May I speak with you a moment outside?"

"Of course, hime." Syaoran replied as he bowed low in respect, and then followed her towards one side of the ballroom. Fye gave him a cheerful wave before squealing girls hailed him and Kurogane. It seemed they could no longer hold themselves (and each other) back from trying to win the affections of the two remaining travellers.

Syaoran trailed Princess Esmerelda out a set of glass doors, and a gentle summer breeze rustle through nearby bushes. A momentary scent of Sakura blossoms reminded him of his time with Sakura back in the other world, where cherry blossoms filled the sweet air. Esmerelda's blonde hair shone in the pale moonlight, splashing down from a cloudless tarry sky. The distant chirps of cicadas hiding in the low grass echoed peacefully through the castle's grounds. She slowed so that Syaoran could catch up, and then continued walking side by side. Music echoed from the ballroom behind.

"Syaoran-kun, do you believe in love?" Esmerelda suddenly proclaimed, taking him by surprise.

"Well, yes hime." He replied awkwardly. This was the last topic he'd expect her to talk to him about…he had definitely been expecting something utterly different.

"My mother married my father when she was 14, yet I'm already 16, and see no marriage in sight. Father, unlike his ancestors, wants to see change in this type of marriages, so he does not want me married until I've found someone perfect."

She paused, waiting for Syaoran to say something, but continued when it was evident he will not.

"Of course, I've had many suitors and countless men have fallen for my fair beauty and asked my hand in marriage," She flicked her hair as she went on, her blonde strands fluttering a little in the night breeze. "But I didn't_ LOVE_ them, do you understand?"

"Yes, hime." Syaoran replied.

"Oh you don't have to call me "hime" all the time." She hooked her arm around Syaoran's and drew closer to him. "Call me Esmerelda, or at least "Esmerelda-hime" like you do that _other_ girl." She made sure to emphasize "other" as if with a deep loathing.

Syaoran was getting uncomfortable, having the princess hook her arm around him and drawing so close, but he couldn't protest. He was a guest at her kingdom, and they'd provided them with so much. But he couldn't help feeling still that Sakura would be the only girl he'd allow to do this to him.

"Sakura-hime is an old friend, hime." Syaoran replied as politely as possible.

"And she went to dance with Lord Elmer?" Huh."

"You know who he is?" Syaoran turned towards Esmerelda, who gave him a quick glance and replied. "Of course, I told him to ask her. How else was I supposed to talk to you alone?"

--------------------------------------------------------------

Back in the ballroom, Sakura had "finished" dancing with Lord Elmer, who had turned out to be quite a nuisance. Mokona had gotten so annoyed at him touching and holding Sakura in various (wrong) ways that he began hopping up and down on his head several times, shouting "Baka! Baka!" repeatedly. The disgruntled lord finally left Sakura alone, and went off to find another pretty girl to dance with.

Sakura, with Mokona sitting on her shoulder (still fuming about "that horrible man"), spotted Fye's head, still in a huge huddle of girls.

"Fye-san, have you seen Syaoran-kun?" she asked, trying to get a glimpse of him through the crowd of girls surrounding him and Kurogane.

"He went out back with Princess Esmerelda, Sakura-chan. She said it'd take just a moment but…" Fye's voice called out from the group. Sakura shouted back thanks, and hurried out into the night air, with Mokona still on her shoulder. The gardens and hedges in the back of the castle's grounds gave an air of romance on this summer night. _What's Syaoran doing out here with Esmerelda-hime? _Sakura began wandering through the pathways, searching under the moonlight.

--------------------------------------------------------------

"How else was I supposed to talk to you alone? I've seen the way she looks at you." Esmerelda's hand loosened her clutch around his arm, and Syaoran silently breathed a sigh of relief. He had been feeling quite uncomfortable with her continuously hooked on him. But to his dismay, her hand slipped down his arm, ran across his armour's wrist plate, and she slipped her palm into his hand. Her long fingers entwined with his and locked their hands together.

" H-hime-" Syaoran did not want to be rude and pull away, but he was really disliking the awkward situation.

"Syaoran, do you love her? Do you love her the same way she loves you?" She squeezed his hand, demanding an answer. She looked up at Syaoran's brown eyes, tempting him to look back.

"I don't know what you mean. Sakura-hime and I are…"

She squeezed his hand a little tighter.

"…just friends." Syaoran looked down at the clay tiles paving the pathway. He may love Sakura, but he knew Sakura doesn't remember him… so how could she love him too? Princess Esmerelda did not seem the type of person for Syaoran to confide in about his love for Sakura. It seemed quite the contrary.

Sakura was still searching for Syaoran and Mokona was singing sleepily and softly on her shoulder, tired out from his bouncing on Lord Elmer's head. She was about to give up and return to the ballroom to wait for Syaoran when his voice trailed to her ears from just beyond the next bend. She hurried forwards, her white slippers falling silently with each step, with Mokona sitting suddenly silent and attentive on her shoulder. The night wind felt cold on her skin now, or was it something else?

Just as she rounded the bend and peered around the hedge she saw Princess Esmerelda holding Syaoran's hand, his back to Sakura "Is that so?" She said, staring into his brown eyes. Sakura's legs felt numb and she wanted to run away, but her muscles refused to obey. The princess and Syaoran did not seem to notice her presence yet. 

"Well then," Esmerelda continued. She let go of Syaoran's hand, but instead hooked both arms around his neck and twirled her fingers through his chocolate brown hair. Pulling him towards her, Esmerelda whispered into his ear, just loud enough for Sakura to hear by the hedge…

"Syaoran, I want YOU."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **  
Teeheehee XD Cliffie for the end of Chap 2 So Esmerelda's after Syaoran… and Sakura was there to see it! What will Syaoran reply to Esmerelda? What'll this do to Sakura and Syaoran's relationship? There's another evil lurking about… stay tuned! 


	3. Chapter 3: The Wooden Box

**Author's notes:**  
Hello! Left off with a cliffie, so here's the next chapter! (Gomen for a week's wait '') Esmerelda is showing a deep interest in Syaoran… perhaps for him to be her prince. What will Syaoran and Sakura do? Get ready for chapter three! Where more twists will happen! 

**Note:** I do not own any of the characters! They are copyright of CLAMP and I do not take credit for any EXISTING characters, though I will create a few of my own for the purpose of this story. My fic is basically a new world that Syaoran and the gang go to next. Note that it takes place after they leave the Oûto world (where they were actually inside a game). Enjoy!

**What happened last time:**

_Just as she rounded the bend and peered around the hedge she saw Princess Esmerelda holding Syaoran's hand, his back to Sakura._

"_Is that so?" She said, staring into his brown eyes. Sakura's legs felt numb and she wanted to run away, but her muscles refused to obey. The princess and Syaoran did not seem to notice her presence yet._

"_Well then," Esmerelda continued. She let go of Syaoran's hand, but instead hooked both arms around his neck and twirled her fingers through his chocolate brown hair. Pulling him towards her, Esmerelda whispered into his ear, just loud enough for Sakura to hear by the hedge…_

"_Syaoran, I want YOU."_

* * *

**Chapter 3: The Wooden Box**

At that moment, Sakura's legs gave way, and she dashed from the scene without a second thought. Her white slippers gave small thumps as her soles hit the soft grass. _So Syaoran…does have an interest in the Princess…_she began to feel tears well up in her eyes, threatening to streak down her cheeks.

Mokona hugged Sakura, grabbing her soft hair, and rubbing his cheek against her hairpin. As if reading her mind, Mokona reassured, "Awww… Sakura-chan, it's ok! You know Syaoran wouldn't do such a thing…"

Sakura gave a slight nod. _He wouldn't… would he?_

Back in the hedge, Esmerelda was leaning in to kiss Syaoran after her sudden confession.

_No…_ he thought over and over. _This can't be happening. Only Sakura…I will only ever let Sakura—_

A blood-piercing scream stabbed through the night air, stopping Syaoran before he could stop Esmerelda himself. The music from the ballroom suddenly stopped, only to be replaced with the sounds of panic from within the castle.

"Oh no!" Esmerelda bolted towards the castle doors."

"Hime wait! It might not be safe!" Syaoran called after her, but she did not seem to hear. He ran after, but soon lost sight of her in the mazes of hedges in the castle grounds. Running towards the echoing chaos from the castle, Syaoran sprinted straight into someone, and he fell over, the other falling onto his armour on top.

He opened his eyes to see Sakura and Mokona, lying on top of him in shock.

"Sakura-hime!" He panicked. _What was she doing wandering outside in the gardens by herself?_ A flood of relief that she was unharmed suppressed his fear.

"G-gomenasai, Syaoran-kun." She quickly got up off of him, and stared towards the castle in concern. "Do you think everything is alright?"

"I don't know." Syaoran stared into the darkness of the trees behind them, suddenly aware of the dangers they were in. Anyone could be lurking in those shadows, and it was best to be among a large crowd at a time like this. He gently took Sakura's arm and said "Come on, it would be safer inside for you than out here. I need to find Esmerelda-hime too… she bolted at the sound of the scream." Syaoran motioned to move towards the castle, but Sakura pulled her arm away.

"I-it's ok. You go ahead and look for Princess Esmerelda." She turned away, and a fleeting glimpse of hurt flashed from her eyes. Mokona sat silent on her shoulder still, an expression of concern across his face.

"Sakura-hime?" Syaoran asked. He looked down at the ground. Had she seen what happened just before?

Another scream echoed through the night. His gaze snapped back to the castle, but something seemed wrong. A sudden movement behind him confirmed it.

But as he turned to face Sakura, Mokona screamed, "Kya!" as he flew off Sakura's shoulder and landed at Syaoran's feet.

A towering figure, looming a darkening shadow over him, stood in front of Syaoran. The figure clutched Sakura's mouth in his enormous gloved hand, muffling her screams of protest.

"Sakura-hime!" Syaoran shouted in alarm, rushing forward, and pulling his sword out of its sheath. The cloaked shadow pressed one finger behind Sakura's head, and pushed down on a pressure point. Her struggles automatically subsided, and Sakura fell limply in the giant's clutches and did not move again.

"SAKURA!" Syaoran raised his sword and made to attack. But he was stopped in his tracks when a strong blow crashed into his head, and he fell to the ground, his vision spinning in angst. "Sa-kura…"

As he frantically fought the wave of unconsciousness engulfing him, he watched, powerless, as the cloaked shadow flung Sakura gently onto his shoulder and stalked away. The last he saw was her face, pale in the bathing moonlight. The King's voice loomed in his head; _murders and kidnappings…_

_ ----------------------------------------------------------------------_

Voices murmured in the distance, seemingly distant from his ears. Syaoran felt the clammy coldness of the clay pathway on his back, or perhaps that was his armour.

"Then boom! Someone snuck up on Syaoran-kun and whacked him across the head with a club. Mokona was still sitting on the ground with a dizzy head when Syaoran went unconscious."

The voice was growing clearer, and Syaoran made an effort to sit up, but his head instantly began to throb painfully in protest. His vision slipped in and out of focus, and a sore spot seemed to have developed on the back of his head.

"Ah, Syaoran-kun, you're awake." The fuzzy image of Fye's soft blond hair slowly came into focus. For a moment, he could not remember where he was. Pressing the palm of his hand to his temple, Syaoran waited for his head to clear. Then it all rushed back to him like a stroke of lightning.

"Sakura-hime!" He jumped to his feet, frantically searching for a sign of her. But her sweet smile of relief to see Syaoran alright, and to have been safely rescued from the cloaked kidnapper wasn't there… only a cold empty darkness awaited his gaze, swallowing the colours of the garden. He stood rooted to the ground, fighting the dizzying haze affecting his vision again. Syaoran stepped off the path, and tried to begin searching, denying his half-unconscious mind.

"There's no use searching for her now." A rough voice came from behind. Kurogane was leaning against the hedge, staring up at the sky.

"Now, Kuro-rin. There's no need to give up now, especially not with Syaoran-kun." Fye stated, turning towards him as Mokona hopped over to Syaoran and jumped up to give him a special Mokona hug.

"Don't listen to the mean Mr. Black, Syaoran! We'll find her very soon." He reassured and stuck out his tongue at Kurogane. Syaoran was staring down at the grass in silence.

A vein twitched on Kurogane's temple. "That's not what I meant." He closed his eyes and explained, still tilting his head to the skies. "Those attacks, those kidnappings, all done in the past 13 days, were definitely done by some well-trained people. They act just like the black ninjas in my world. If they act the same, they'll think the same. You must've been out at least 10 minutes, and that's more than plenty of time for skilled kidnappers like them to get quite far away and hidden. If we searched now, it would be a waste of energy and time. They'd have had everything planned out." 

A short silence dawned on the group, still under the waning moon high above. The chirping of the cicadas had disappeared, as if a giant hand clasped over them, muting their sound completely.

"Hoo-whee." Fye faked a whistle again. "You've got a good point, Kuro-rin, but what can we do at this point?"

"Kurogane was silent for a moment, then opened his eyes to look up at the heavens again. "Wait till dawn. Wait until the letter from the sorceress comes, then perhaps we will receive a clue about where the hime is, and what our next move shall be." He stood up straight and walked towards Syaoran, clasping his hand on his shoulder. The contact of the metal clanged in the anomalous silence. "Don't give up hope yet, kid. Bear with the time for now. She will come back." And with that, Kurogane began heading towards the castle door, his silver armour listening in the fading moonlight.

After a long silence, Fye sighed and looked at Syaoran, smiling. "Kuro-puppy may be quiet, but he knows what to do. So don't you worry Syaoran-kun. We'll find Sakura and bring her back safe and sound. We've been in worse… we'll get her back for sure."

"I know." Syaoran lifted his head, glancing into Fye's bright blue eyes. What Fye his eyes, was exactly what he had expected to be there: a familiar fire of optimism and determination fuelled by the will to get back what is most important to him.

_ ----------------------------------------------------------------------_

The final hours of the night were passing by like a warped time frame… where a minute seemed like years, and an hour was unimaginable. Sitting in the light of the few dozen candles of the throne room, the travellers and the King waited for the sun to rise. King Ethan said many other residents of the Silan have fled to a nearby kingdom, including Princess Esmerelda and her mother, fleeing for their lives. They should be safe there for now, since the evil had not spread that far yet. 

The group continued to wait in noxious silence, each wordlessly begging for the hours of darkness to end. Mokona was sleeping in Syaoran's lap, using his black cape as a blanket. Kurogane was pacing the room, as if it would waste the time away a little faster. Fye gazed out the window of the throne room staring out to the east, awaiting the coming dawn.

Then, after a seemingly eternal wait, the whisper of a blood red sunrise crept across the horizon, bursting from a single point of light. The beams of soft light stretched further and with each step, the colours of the sky lightened, a mirage of a ghostly reflection of an orange sunrise, splattering the land with eminent rays.

Syaoran watched the light spread across the throne room floor, scattering the darkness back into its corners. The room remained silent with anticipation.

A sudden spark from the nearby fireplace jolted Syaoran's gaze towards it. He stared into the ambers. The light seemed to dim as the spreading beams of dawn crawled in from the windows. _Sakura..._ he thought.

But the more Syaoran gazed into the fireplace, the more he felt that instead of diminishing, the fireplace was getting brighter. He carefully lifted Mokona off his lap and placed him on his chair, the cape still draped across the white bun. Moving towards the fire, Syaoran saw that his suspicions were correct.

"King Ethan?" Syaoran called over his shoulder. They all turned their heads towards him and Mokona sat up, rubbing his sleepy eyes with a white paw.

Fye turned his back on the window and strode towards Syaoran. He squatted down beside him and stared at the burning ambers.

They were glowing an irregular hot white. Suddenly, the orange fire roared and jumped higher, the flames licking the sides of the fireplace. Then, after turning from an orange to a bright red, the fire burned green. King Ethan leapt back, letting out a horrified gasp.

"Sorcery! Evil! The evil has arrived! Dear heavens have mercy on our souls!" The King tumbled to the floor, bowing his head and praying to the heavens.

The green flame burned continuously. Then, a shape seemed to appear in the midst of the fire. Without warning, the flames leapt towards them and everyone shielded their eyes. Just as sudden as it had come, the flames disappeared entirely, leaving nothing in the extinguished fireplace except a black metal box.

Mokona peaked from behind Syaoran's cloak. "Fye-san, is that the letter the sorceress sent?" 

"I think so." Fye reached into the fireplace and carefully picked up the box. The metal was surprisingly cold, even though it had just come through a raging fire. He carried it to the table where they had, less than a day ago, thrown cake at each other. Fye set it down and everyone, including the trembling King, gathered around it. Mokona abandoned Syaoran's cape on the cobbled floor.

"Syaoran-kun, why don't you open it?" Fye suggested and pushed the black box towards him with a sincere smile.

Syaoran took it and unlatched the peg at its front. Swinging the metal lid open, the group gazed into the depths at the contents.

A rolled up parchment sat neatly on top, and a hint of the surface of wood protruded from beneath. Syaoran pulled out the yellow parchment and handed it to Fye.

The light emitting from the now higher sun lit the room slowly, but not enough to be able to read. The King hurriedly brought over a few candles and set them on the table. The group was silent as Fye unrolled the letter and spread it on the table. He began to read under the soft glow of the candlelight.

"For 100 years you have kept my uprising from playing its fate, and now my revenge shall begin. For 13 days my men have murdered and kidnapped your people, warning you of our still strong lingering presence. Tonight, after so many years, I will take what I cam for one century ago and seize my rightful throne of Silan. Nothing, my king, shall stop me this time from conquering. Not even your newfound heroes that arrived last morning. They shall meet a suffering defeat. I will arrive at midnight to take what's rightfully mine."

A lone lark began to sing outside, its soft voice drifting into the throne room. It came like an alienating sound, unfit for the atmosphere around the table.

The group turned to the wooden box. What more could Sephiria want to say? Syaoran hesitantly reached into the black metal box again and extracted the wooden one, its texture smooth to his touch. Lighter than expected, Syaoran laid it down on the table and brushed some odd black dust off its flat wooden top.

Syaoran looked up from the box at the group's already ashened faces. What could possible be worse than the sorceress's threat letter? Mokona looked nervous and worried, sitting across from the wooden box. "Mmmmm…" he whined. "Mokona doesn't have a good feeling about this…" 

Syaoran reached for the lid and unlatched a peg similar to that on the black box. A cold wind began to eerily blow in the room, catching onto the hems of cloaks. It snuffed out the candles on the table, and the group was left standing in semi-darkness. The sunrise continued to creep slowly. Syaoran flipped the lid open and was about to drop it down when he noticed something odd about it. Tilting the angle of the lid, he let a faint bit of light catch the surface, and a searing message blared out.

On the lid, written in what looked like fresh blood, were the words, "A crueler fate awaits the heroes who resist." Unwillingly, Syaoran looked down into the contents of the box. The light crept on, trying to reach the table.

But even in the dull light, Syaoran could recognize the contents. A pile of ashes, created from human remains filled the box, bulging to a round top. A sudden draft blew again, pushing bits of ash off the top of the lump, just as a ray of sunshine finally broke through the window and landed on the table, lighting up the box. Protruding from the middle of the ashes was a white beaded hair ornament, charred black almost beyond recognition. But Syaoran still knew what it was… it had sat mere hours ago in Sakura's soft brown hair.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Teehee '' Gomenasai! hides I hope that was an unexpected end to the chapter! So the wooden box contained ashes, and Sakura's charred hair ornament is in it. And what about that letter Sephiria sent, threatening the travellers and the kingdom? Stay tuned!  



	4. Chapter 4: Prison of Ice

**Author's notes:**  
Nee XD Another cliffie last chapter… so sorry! (Well, sorta - Gomen!) The letter from Sephiria finally arrives. Did Sakura's capture turn into a murder? What will the gang do now? There's more to this legend than is being told… 

**Note:** I do not own any of the characters! They are copyright of CLAMP and I do not take credit for any EXISTING characters, though I will create a few of my own for the purpose of this story. My fic is basically a new world that Syaoran and the gang go to next. Note that it takes place after they leave the Oûto world (where they were actually inside a game). Enjoy!

**What happened last time:**

_On the lid, written in what looked like fresh blood, were the words, "A crueler fate awaits the heroes who resist." Unwillingly, Syaoran looked down into the contents of the box. The light crept on, trying to reach the table._

_But even in the dull light, Syaoran could recognize the contents. A pile of ashes, created from human remains filled the box, bulging to a round top. A sudden draft blew again, pushing bits of ash off the top of the lump, just as a ray of sunshine finally broke through the window and landed on the table, lighting up the box. Protruding from the middle of the ashes was a white beaded hair ornament, charred black almost beyond recognition. But Syaoran still knew what it was… it had sat mere hours ago in Sakura's soft brown hair._

* * *

**Chapter 4: Prison of Ice**

Fye and Kurogane stood at Syaoran's doorway, both solemn. Kurogane was leaning against the dark wood frame with his eyes closed, as Fye glanced silently outside.

A window at the end of the hallway let an orange sun seep through its tainted glass, spraying the opposite wall in radiant colours. It was sometime in the afternoon; Syaoran had been in his room for hours. In 7 more hours, Sephiria would arrive.

After the wooden box and revealed Sakura's charred hairpin amongst the pile of black ashes, Syaoran had closed the box amid the eerie silence in the hall, and went and shut himself in his room. He'd been in there, cooped up for almost a full day.

Fye let out a deep sigh and turned to his silent companion. "What do you supposed we do now?"

"Depends on the kid." Kurogane simply replied. "His head will be thinking, not sulking all this time. He'll listen to his heart."

Just then, the bolt on the door unlocked with a soft click, and a small rustle of air sped through the crack as Syaoran stepped out of his room. He did not seem surprised to see Fye and Kurogane standing outside his doorway, but instead gave them a fiery stare, full of ambition and passion.

"We're going." He stated shortly as Mokona hopped out of the room behind him just before Syaoran closed the door. Somehow, a tinge of relief could be seen through Mokona's apprehensive expression.

Fye's alluring blue eyes followed Syaoran as he continued down the hall past him, "To where, Syaoran-kun?"

He stopped in his tracks, his back facing his companions. "The sorceress's castle." He turned around, a flame lit in his eyes. "I refuse to believe Sakura is dead." Syaoran reached into his cape and withdrew the wooden box containing the ashes.

"I know we saw the ashes and the hair ornament; I know the evidence points to her being dead; but I refuse to believe it. Sephiria could've set this up to make us leave, because we're the only ones standing between her and her vengeance. She'll do anything to take what she believes is rightfully hers… including a faked death." Syaoran glanced from the wooden box to his friends. "These ashes… might not even be hers. This may as well be a diversion, so until I see solid proof that Sakura's gone, I refuse to believe it. No matter how long it takes, I'll search this entire kingdom and every world for her. Every day of my life until I die. The last thing I'll do is give up on her; she's too important to me for me to do that."

The gathering was silent in the hall.

Syaoran was the first to break the silence, his valour expression softening into a meek smile. "What, do I sound crazy?"

Kurogane pushed off the grey stone wall he'd been leaning against and clasped his hand on Syaoran's shoulder as an affectionate gesture. A grin spread across the tall man's face.

"No, you've finally learned to use your head to think things through."

----------------------------------------------------------

An icy cold spread up her spine as she lay half awake on a rigid surface. A cool wetness rubbed against her nose as she began to regain consciousness.

Slowly, opening her eyes, a crystal world of ice fleetingly greeted her, distant walls of floe and frost surrounding her like a frozen dungeon. A baby polar bear sat in front of her face, still rubbing its nose against hers.

She gently pushed her hand against the cold surface and sat up, the polar bear began running joyfully around her, slightly skidding on the ice now and then.

A clammy loneliness seeped deep in Sakura's skin, and she shivered. The temperature of the air wasn't frigid cold, though she was surrounded entirely by layers of ice.

_Where am I?_ Sakura thought. _And where's – _her thoughts flashed suddenly on the memory of Princess Esmerelda with her arms around Syaoran's neck._ No… he'll be worried about the girl he likes… not me._ A miserable pain slashed through across her heart as Sakura dwelled unwillingly on the thought. The little polar bear leapt into Sakura's lap, but lost its footing in the dress's many folds and layers, tumbling towards the ice again. Sakura gently caught the bear, cupping it in her hands like a big white fluff ball.

She gave a gentle smile. "Hello there." The polar bear's lips turned slightly up at the corners, giving a little smile in return and reached its paw towards Sakura's face. It gave a small grunt of concern and tilted its head at Sakura, as if asking a question.

Sakura reached up one hand and wiped her cold fingers across her rosy cheeks, feeling a trail of liquid flowing down her face.

Tears.

"Oh, silly me." Sakura hastily wiped them away with her free hand as she placed the little white bear safely on top of her dress. "I'm just sad that… that I'm lost. Are you lost too?"

The little bear shook its head from side to side and let out a light groan.

"No?" Then, do you know where we are?"

This time, the bear drooped its head a little as if thinking; it then turned up to stare into her emerald eyes with a solemn gaze.

"Don't know how to say it, hm?" Sakura smiled kindly and stroked the bear's soft head. "I'm not sure if you have a name, but I'll call you Snow for now ok? Because your fur is as white and as soft as fresh fallen snow."

"The bear gave a content, short grunt of approval, and rubbed its head against her hand, obviously pleased.

Sakura beamed happily. It was nice to have company in this lonely cold chamber.

"How long have you been here, Snow? A long time?" Sakura asked the little bear, who was now rolling around playfully on her dress. It paused only to give her the slightest of nods, then tumbled all the way down her dress like a ramp and landed on the ice. Snow scuttled a little to get closer to Sakura again. She gave a small laugh as Snow tripped as it made its way to her.

"You must've been so lonely before… it isn't that fun then, is it?" Sakura said absent-mindedly. "It's really sad… to feel alone." Snow stopped playing and gave a soft whine, sensing her sadness. The bear cocked its head, waiting for her to continue. Sakura tried to force a meek smile, glancing off into the distance. It didn't work.

"See, there's as boy who I've been travelling with, and no matter how many memories I get back, I can't seem to remember him. At first, I didn't seem to care much about who he was… he was just another stranger, like Fye and Kurogane were. But little by little, he's grown into my heart, and he's become so important to me. Yet, I still don't understand so many things about him… why he sticks by me and tries so hard to get my feathers back, risking his life in the process. Perhaps he's just being kind; his heart's so caring and warm. But, when I saw him a while before, holding hands with another girl, and that girl with her arms around him, I felt something I've never remembered feeling before…" She looked back down at the polar bear sitting intently before her. "Snow, do you think I'm a horrible person to feel this way?"

Snow shook it's white head furiously and hugged her knee, since it was the only part of Sakura he was tall enough to reach.

"Do I have a right… to love him at all?" Sakura breathed desolately into the empty prison.

"As hard as I try, I still can't remember him… Somehow, I feel so alone when he's not around, and I long to see his face again. After that incident in the gardens, I've realized that I can't bear the thought of him with another girl. Hoe can I feel this way, when I don't remember anything about him? Syaoran's already done so much for me, I can't ask any more of him. And if he's happy with Princess Esmerelda, then I should let him be, right?"

Sakura looked at Snow, sitting quietly on the ice. "I'm sorry, I'm dumping all my troubles on a cute little bear like you. It just… came out of me. Now," she stood up gently, testing out the ice. To her surprise, it was not as slippery as she imagined. "Let's find a way out of this strange room for starters, shall we?'

Skidding slightly in her white slippers, Sakura looked around the room as Snow stared quietly at her with its light grey eyes. He then stared up towards the clear patch of ice near the high ceiling, where rays of light slightly filtered through to keep the room from residing in darkness.

A wall of ice suddenly creaked apart like a door at the far end of the iced room. Sakura stooped to let Snow hop into her hands, then stood to face the one who had just entered. As the doors closed again, Sakura wondered if anyone had come in at all, but the she saw a shimmer in the frosty air. The person was perfectly camouflaged with the frozen room. Slowly, the figure drew closer until it was a mere few feet from Sakura. Snow twitched slightly in her hands.

A beautiful being stood majestically before Sakura, tall and cloaked in a silver-white robe, her face hidden in the shadows of her upturned hood. In her left hand, a long staff pitched below the surface of the ice, one end the shape of a spearhead. On the other end, a large diamond-shaped block of ice encaged…

"My feather…" Sakura whispered to herself in surprise. _Syaoran was right… there is a feather in this world._ She continued to stare at her feather, trapped in the ice.

"My power is mine alone." A taunting voice hissed coldly from the shadows of the figure's hood, as the individual sensed Sakura looking at her memory. She pulled her staff upwards, uprooting the spearhead from the ice, leaving a whole in the ice floor. Tipping the balance of the staff, the woman tilted the end with the feather towards Sakura. "No _commoner_ will freely see my treasure."

A sudden pain ran through Sakura's body, a stabbing cold pricking her every cell like thousands of tiny needles. A chilling cold spread through her veins, stinging her ever nerve. Then all suddenly seized and the pain was gone, leaving Sakura in a gasping heap on the ice. The feather quivered in its cage of ice.

Snow growled angrily and jumped between Sakura and the cloaked figure.

"Oh, pathetic little worm. Do you really want the same fate as your parents?"

Snow's anger intensified, and it bared its front teeth at the woman.

"N-no, please don't harm Snow!" Sakura got to her knees, a lingering pain still in her body. She pulled Snow away from the woman.

The lady lowered the staff, and jabbed the spear tip back into the ice, the shiny blue coating of the staff glimmering a reflection of the ice around them.

" Girl, you will work for me now. My followers have brought a fine individual this time." The voice was harsh, but still seemed less cruel than before.

"Followers… so you must be the might sorceress, Sephiria." Sakura implored.

"Yes." The head tilted upwards a bit, the hood slightly sliding off but the face was still cast in darkness. Sakura saw a glisten of rouge lips. "Girl," the voice continued. "Do you believe your companions will come for you?"

"Yes…" Sakura hesitated. The question had caught her by surprise. "If they knew I was still alive, of course they'll come for me still."

"And what if they don't? What if they thought that you were dead?"

"They wouldn't believe it so easily! Syaoran-kun would think things through! I know he would." Sakura pressed urgently. _…Wouldn't he?_ A sudden horror spread to Sakura's face. She hurried to her feet, Snow cuddled in her arms.

"Y-you didn't… trick them?"

Sephiria was silent, but Sakura saw, in the darkness under the hood, a faint smile stretched across the sorceress' face.

"You made them think I was dead?"

When Sephiria answered, her voice was chilling in tone, enough to combat the cold ice around them. "Well honestly, I think I did them a favour."

Seeing' Sakura's confused expression, the sorceress ventured on. "I've watched you all for a while… And now, they seem to be much happier without worrying about you all the time. No more worrying about your feather, about getting it back and restoring your memories, and keeping you safe. Because in their eyes, you are gone… dead. They're no longer burdened by you and can roam free and fulfill their own wishes."

Sakura's mind began to whirl. _That's true… we're always in danger, always in one world so long… because of me. I'm holding everyone back…_

If Sakura was gone… Fye could continue roving, and not worry about staying in one place for too long, just in case the people from his world were pursuing him. He could continue to flee. Kurogane… he'd find his own world far faster if they never searched for her feathers. He'd be back home to his own princess. Mokona would be able to finish his job faster and return to the Dimension Witch sooner… the poor little white bun wouldn't always be put in danger with us all. And…

Syaoran.

He'd still be travelling or doing what he loves best: Fulfilling his passion and dreams of archaeology and ruins. If it weren't for her, he wouldn't be so far away from home… yet he's here searching worlds for something of hers that is so hard to get, to fulfill his duty to Sakura, the princess of his land. Perhaps, he might even have a happy-

"Marriage." The cold voice interrupted Sakura's thoughts. It sounded strained, as if the sorceress felt pained to mention it. "There is a marriage that has just been planned and announced. Princess Esmerelda is marrying a boy… one that fell from the sky." Sakura fell to her knees.

_Syaoran-kun…_

"It seems to me you're already out of their minds. Your companions… are much better off without you. You were just a burden to them, child."

"N-no… they said once before!" Sakura searched hard for an answer in her mind, to keep the sorceress's words out. "When I said I should be the one searching for my feathers, they all smiled and told me they didn't mind." Her mind began to split in two, arguing with the other side. Was Sephiria right? Was she just a burden? She… couldn't be… could she?

"Do you really believe that the worlds and humans are perfect?" This statement brought Sakura's attention back to the sorceress. "People lie and deceive all they want. Some to gain what they desire, others to keep another from being emotionally hurt. Humans speak nothing but filth, and their lies pile up until they're buried in their own webs of impurity, and they drown in their own creations. That's all humans are. Liars with pretty masks on, deceit running rampage like a deadly virus. There isn't a world you can _believe._"

The ice cracked her staff, spreading from the point where the sorceress' spear penetrated the ice floor. Sakura looked back down the ice, Snow was sitting quietly in her lap. _Sephiria is right… I am a burden to them, and they've only stuck by me, and said and did all those nice things because they didn't want ot hurt me… I was like an empty shell, no memories to let me say, "I'm a victim of life's paths and torments. I know how hard life is." They won't come for me, they've only sympathized for me… they won't come… they won't come…_

"They won't come…" The 3 words issued out of Sakura's mouth in a bare whisper, her head still tilted to the floor.

"Your choices are these. Stay with me, or die by your own feather. I have no use for someone who won't help me." The voice then suddenly softened a touch. "Child, they may have treated you badly, but I can give you a new life. A fresh new start… you can, perhaps, love again. I will be back in an hour, so make your choice by then."

Sakura heard Sephiria's words in a strange blur, not even noticing her leave the iced room and lock the door tightly behind her. She didn't even hear Snow's worried whines, or the little bear's small hug to her waist. Only one thought echoed dryly through her mind.

_I'm truly…all alone._

----------------------------------------------------------_  
_

Sephiria entered her chambers, striding to the large mirror standing upright in the centre of the room. The surface flashed in the soft light cast from the surrounding candles. As she approached, the mirror began to protrude an image of a man on a dark throne, tapping his finger impatiently on his armrest. His monocles shone as it rested on his right eye.

"Ah, Sorceress." He pronounced, raising his hand towards her. "And?"

"It went well." Sephiria answered shortly. She noticed another figure this time, standing in the shadows behind.

"So she believes in the tale? You made is as short and to the point as possible? We're pressed for time." The man prodded again, his voice growing slightly urgent.

"Of course. But I do not see why we must interfere in their love. Instead of slashing that girl's heart with betrayal, you could've told her he died, could you not? Either way, it does not affect my revenge, nor do I see how it helps you."

A sudden glimmer of light from the world on the other side of the mirror flashed across their faces. Slight as it was, Sephiria still saw who the figure beside the throne was… or at least, whom it resembled.

A boy, very much like the traveller who had arrived in Silan. There was the same chocolate hair, and fiery glint in the brown eyes. But an eye patch was slung over his left eye, and red markings ran down the boy's slender arms.

"Th-that boy! Is that the same Syaor-" Sephiria gasped in shock.

"This boy is none of your concern, at least not yet. And you have no business knowing my intentions and plans for that group of travellers. Now, do not forget, Sephiria. I freed you in exchange for a price. And that price-"

"I know my price, there's no need for you to repeat it again. However, I do not agree with your methods. I do not believe in destroying love."

The man chuckled deeply as if amused. "Of course, of course, Sephiria. Especially considering your dreary past, which-"

"SILENCE!" Sephiria's voice echoed coldly around the iced chamber. "I do not need a cold-hearted man like you telling me about my own past." Her voice was dim, barely a whisper, but radiated a strong power in its tone. The feather in her staff shook slightly.

"Hm." The man sneered. "So the angel has an angry side too. No matter if you like my methods or not, Sephiria, it was your price. A small price in my opinion, for what I gave you. Freedom. By helping you, I'm killing two birds with one stone, and that's all you need t know. I've tried many times now to gain that girl's power, and this may be my chance, especially with him awake now." The man gave a casual wave towards the boy resembling Syaoran behind him. "So follow the plan Sephiria. You owe me that much for your freedom."

The image of the man and the boy faded, to be replaced with a mirage of Sephiria herself. The mirror was once again, just an ordinary mirror.

"Fowl beast." Sephiria muttered with rage, her grip shaking as she held her staff. She breathed in a shaking breath to calm her nerves. She strode slowly towards the wall behind the mirror, where a large portrait hung upon the ice wall was cast in shadows. Her voice suddenly grew soft and hollow, as if she was another person. "Will their love end like ours, defiled by the selfishness of another?"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Yay! XD Another chapter up and done! Sakura's alive, but now she's been cast into depression by Sephiria's words, and it seems there's definitely something about the sorceress we still don't know about. But what? How will Sakura answer Sephiria, and will Syaoran reach Sakura? 


	5. Chapter 5: Emotions of the Spirit

**Author's notes:**

I'm back with another chapter Seem's there's something about Sephiria that we still don't know about. Could it perhaps, but a good side in her? And what will happen to Sakura and Syaoran? (Am I putting them through too many tortures? '')

**Note:** I do not own any of the characters! They are copyright of CLAMP and I do not take credit for any EXISTING characters, though I will create a few of my own for the purpose of this story. My fic is basically a new world that Syaoran and the gang go to next. Note that it takes place after they leave the Oûto world (where they were actually inside a game). **I will be creating personality features for characters still mysterious in the Tsubasa series: they may not (well, most likely aren't) be what CLAMP has planned for them, but for the purpose of my story, that's how they are! Ok?** That's enough for now XD. Enjoy!

**What happened last time:**

"_Hm." The man sneered. "So the angel has an angry side too. No matter if you like my methods or not, Sephiria, it was your price. A small price in my opinion, for what I gave you. Freedom. By helping you, I'm killing two birds with one stone, and that's all you need t know. I've tried many times now to gain that girl's power, and this may be my chance, especially with him awake now." The man gave a casual wave towards the boy resembling Syaoran behind him. "So follow the plan Sephiria. You owe me that much for your freedom."_

The image of the man and the boy faded, to be replaced with a mirage of Sephiria herself. The mirror was once again, just an ordinary mirror.

"_Fowl beast." Sephiria muttered with rage, her grip shaking as she held her staff. She breathed in a shaking breath to calm her nerves. She strode slowly towards the wall behind the mirror, where a large portrait hung upon the ice wall was cast in shadows. Her voice suddenly grew soft and hollow, as if she was another person. "Will their love end like ours, defiled by the selfishness of another?"_

* * *

**Chapter 5: Emotions of the Spirit**

Syaoran pulled his cloak around him as he felt a shiver tingle up his spine. Something seemed amiss… or perhaps it was just the cold. The wind carried the sounds of a sweet nightingale's sorrowful tale. The voice rode on the bitter breeze until it was swallowed by the gradual dusk. Syaoran's horse fidgeted in the unusual cold, his sword clanging lightly against a buckle.

"Nee!" Mokona shivered and jumped into Kurogane's shirt. "Mokona's so COLD!"

"Garr! GET OUT OF MY SHIRT!" Kurogane yelled, trying to pull the wiggling bun out.

Syaoran breathed out, trying to calm down his nerves as they hopped onto horses, preparing to set off. The bustling inside the castle echoed from open windows.

Fye smiled at him. "Don't worry Syaoran-kun. The King will be safe in the castle."

King Ethan, who had faith in the old religion, repeated what the previous kind had done at the time: send only the travellers to attack and stop Sephiria, while the kingdom's army stays in Silan to help the citizens flee and to guard the castle. Though he showed signs of great fear, he firmly stayed put in the castle to carry out his role as King. When Syaoran asked him why the previous king had kept all his soldiers at the castle instead of sending them to aid the travellers, King Ethan replied, "There is… one thing about the sorceress you known not of."

He fidgeted with his hands, wringing them nervously as if unwillingly to inform the travellers of what he was about to say. "Of course, these are all just rumours… but… the sorceress was a kind figure in Silan before she gained her powers. She was, in fact, eligible to become Prince Lindon's bride."

The travellers all shrunk back in shock,

"There were rumours from the elders of this kingdom that Sephiria had visited the castle many times before she grew powerful. Lindon's father is believed to have called his entire army to stay within Silan territory for this reason. However, I personally believe this is preposterous. Prince Lindon's father was a man of selfish means, do pardon my rudeness for my ancestors, but he was to the moment he died by enemy hands. He must have kept the soldiers where they were for his own safety. Obviously that failed, since he committed suicide when he falsely believed Sephiria had entered his castle. Now, I by no means am calling myself selfish for doing the same thing, but I do believe that if this tactic worked once, it shall work again." He looked up from the floor and fixated his gaze on the travellers. There was a hint of fear in his eyes.

"A-and of course, I believe you guys are very capable of defeating the sorceress by your own means too, no?" King Ethan gave a quick nervous glance at Mokona, who sat half-asleep and muttering strange words on Syaoran's head.

"..ran."

"Syaoran!" Mokona's voice swept Syaoran out of the memory, and he was once again aware of the frigid cold. "Are you ok?"

"Yes." He nodded. "I was just thinking about what the King had said… but, something doesn't seem right."

Fye cocked his head in question. "Hmmm?"

"The rumours that King Ethan heard about Sephiria and Prince Lindon. They seem highly possible, but there's a large portion of the story missing. Sephiria's tale and her will for revenge have to be connected somehow… but what?"

---------------------------------------------

Sakura sat on the cold ice as her foot began to feel numb. She had not moved since the sorceress left. Snow cuddled in her lap, snoring softly in its dreamless sleep. Her mind was a mess and she couldn't think clearly, Her usual optimism had been driven off a cliff by the sorceress's cruel words. Tears streamed down her cold pale cheeks, her soul encaged in hushed torment.

The doors slid open again, and Sakura looked up through slightly puffy eyelids up to see the same silver white figure gliding in with the glistening staff in one hand.

"Well, my child? What have you decided?" The sorceress's voice sounded abnormally kind, unlike the coldness from their first encounter. Was it sympathy?

Sakura sat in silence. What could she choose? Her time for decisions was at an end. "I… I want a new start." She stood up, ignoring the stinging pain as she put weight on her numb foot. Sakura bowed low, unable to curtsy since Snow continued to sleep in Sakura's crossed arms. "I am in your service, my lady. Please allow me to serve you in any way you wish." She tried to keep her voice calm and untainted by her sadness, but all that she could manage was a small whisper from her lips.

Sakura heard a rustle of a cloak and suddenly felt a warm hand under her chin, freeing her from her bow. Sephiria tilted her head upwards, and Sakura saw the sorceress's face for the first time.

The hood had slid off, finally revealing the sorceress's extreme beauty. Stunning green eyes peered out at Sakura and soft straight brown hair hung on her head. Her dazzling eyes seemed to change colour in the reflecting lights around the room, or perhaps it was a trick from the shimmering crystals of ice.

"Good." A faint inkling began to appear on her left cheek, deepening as time passed. "Now, that is a good thing to hear." The voice was changing… growing colder and harsher as the mark increasing darkened. The eyes glinted and flashed to red.

Sakura could feel a stabbing fear rise within her body. _What in the world is going on? Have I just met… the other side of Sephiria?_

The eyes were fully red, and the mark was definably clear: a curving thing tattoo searing the shape of a dragon into Sephiria's pale complexion. Her fingers under Sakura's chin now felt cold and unwelcoming: the transformation was complete.

Sephiria laughed to herself, her bright red eyes glinting as she did. "I see FEAR in your eyes, my child." She sounded amused, and pulled her fingers away from Sakura. The sorceress turned towards the walls of the chamber, rotating slowly on her feet as if admiring the room for the first time "I have not fully rid myself of the tenshi in my soul. I find it's quite amusing to listen to the foolish whims of a fallen angel, and it will be a true pleasure to listen to her pleas for help when I ruin her beloved Silan."

Sakura stood upright, taking in each word with surprising clarity. _So the evil of the sorceress has not full taken over Sephiria… she could still be kind._ Her head began spin again with thoughts.

"Now, follow me. Midnight is approaching."

Sakura stared after the sorceress as she moved towards the doorway, waiting for Sakura to follow. "M-midnight, my lady?"

Sephiria was putting her hood back on, continuing towards the door. "Of course, do you believe I'm not going to invade Silan just because of a silly "wedding"?" Her voice answered back callously.

---------------------------------------------

Sakura's soft white shoes pattered gently across the ice as the sorceress led her to god-knows-where. Now awake, Snow scampered sleepily beside her.

Sakura carefully watched the billowing cloak meters before her, Sephiria's each step precise and majestic. If she had not known this woman was a sorceress, Sakura would've thought she as royalty. Split personality or not, the sorceress/tenshi was a lady with an air of elegance.

What happened to Sephiria? Did my feather really do this to her? Did it turn an angelic girl into a heartless sorceress? If Syaoran was here, he'd-

_No…_Sakura shook her head. _He's NOT here. And if he even comes here, it would be for Esmerelda's sake: to defeat the sorceress and keep their future kingdom safe._

She tried to force a weak smile and she turned to the ice wall beside her. Sakura's face looked pale beyond recognition in the reflection. Her eyelids were still vaguely swollen from her tears, and her meek smile would never pass.

If I'd told him… if I'd let Syaoran know my feelings beforehand, would things be different? Would he perhaps, love me back?

Sakura turned her head back to face the ice beside her. She stared at her auburn hair, messy after the events of the past few hours. Her emerald eyes seemed to have lost their light, overpowered by the sign of lingering teardrops. Sakura hastily rubbed them from her eyes and looked back down to the floor, where Snow was trying hard to imitate Sakura by walking on his back paws. Unsuccessful, the little bear tumbled back to the ground, and gave Sakura a small shy grin. She returned a smile automatically, though her mind was still wandering a lonely darkness.

_He'd never love me… he shows me so much kindness, but he'd never love someone like me. There's no hope for us, and there never will be._ Her lips curved into a meek smile. _I'm not as pretty as Esmerelda-hime, I'm not very helpful or bright. I always need protection and my soul is incomplete… with so many memories lost in drifting, unknown worlds. No, he'd never even consider the though, would he? It's too late for regrets, I've been too far away, too distant from him to ever show I loved him. And now, I might never be able to see him again._

Sakura was so deep in her thoughts she never realized Sephiria had stopped at a doorway near the end of a hallway, and almost ran head-on into the sorceress. Sakrua clumsily stopped and bowed in apology, but Sephiria did not look towards her once. She pointed the spear of her staff at the door and pushed it forward in midair. The frost-coated door swung open heavily without the spear ever touching it. The room was welcoming, with a soft queen-sized bed centred against the opposite wall, and a fireplace crackled place crackled heartedly in a brick fireplace against one side. Wooden furniture lay against walls and in corners and a small bed for pets sat b y the door. If it weren't for the walls of ice caging the area, the room would've looked like any other ordinary room.

"You will be staying in here." Sephiria's voice came from the shadows of her hood. "There is a door on the far end that leads to the kitchens. All I want you to do is clean it up and cook meals. Enjoy the view from the room and kitchen." The sorceress turned on her heels and strode out of the room once again.

"W-wait!" Sakura called after. "T-that's all you want me to do?" Sakura put her hands together, trying to warm her cold fingertips as she stared after the sorceress.

Sephiria stopped in her tracks and turned. "What's your name, child?"

"Sakura, my lady."

"Sakura…" Sephiria's voice seemed softer again. "Do you know how lonely it gets sometimes, to be cooped up by yourself? All I need right now is a human as my company, Sakura." A glint flashed as the hoot shifted a little. The voice became harsh again.

"Do not wander from your rooms. Stay only in the room and kitchen, do you understand? I'll trust you enough to not put a barrier on the door."

"Sakura curtsied. "Yes, my lady." When she looked back up again, Sephiria was walking further down the hall, soon completely camouflaged with the ice. _I'll have to learn, to live on my own. I can do it… right Syaoran? _Sakura turned back into the room and closed the door gently behind her. Noticing a small flap at the bottom that resembled a dog door, she suddenly imagined seeing Snow pound playfully in and out of the flap, highly amused by the customized door for it. Sakura turned to see Snow was struggling with its bed, dragging the cushion with its teeth. She laughed gently and picked up the little polar bear, and deposited the bed beside the mattress. Cuddling Snow gently in her arms, Sakura noticed in the corner of her eye a large window in the corner, hidden from the view of the doorway. As Snow gave her a happy nudge with its nose, she walked over to the dim light shining through the panes and peered out the clear thing layer of ice.

"Oh my GOD!" Sakura cried in surprise as she abruptly stepped back from the window after she recognized what she saw. Sakura had been floating a thousand feet above the ground in a giant ice palace, and never realized it until now.

---------------------------------------------

The soft clatter of hooves rode gently to a stop, echoing distantly across the mesmerizing silence that dawned upon the frozen land. Syaoran, Fye, Kurogane, and Mokona had arrived at the destination King Ethan had advised them to go. Standing on the tall hill, the travellers gazed at a large open field below splattered orange in the last glimpses of the sunset. Adjoining the edge of the field was a large glimmering sea, sparkling gently in the fading light. It would've seemed so peaceful and relaxing if the dire situation were different. A light breeze, cold as it was, swayed the tall grass below and pushed waves against the shore in resounding waves.

_Sakura…_Syaoran thought with a smile._ You'd love to see this. I promise… we'll get you back and perhaps we can come to this very spot together… smiling._

"Just as the King said…"Kurogane interrupted. "The water is starting to freeze over."

Fye and Syaoran turned towards the sea in the far distance, and sure enough, patches of inert ice could be seen edging along the shoreline and spreading into the sea.

"Howee…Kuro-puppy! Your eyesight is soooo good." Fye joked and patted Kurogane lightly on the armour.

"Hai! Hai!" Mokona bounced repeatedly on his head, seemingly trying to keep warm. "And it's al-l thanks to Mokona's jumping on his head! Mokona! The Saviour!" Mokona tried to make an evil smile and tapped his paws together menacingly. "Bwahahahaha!"

"Argh! Who needs your help!" Kurogane whipped the cute pork bun off his head and launched into another pull-the-cheeks attack. Syaoran was standing a little bit away, a solemn expression upon his young face.

"Ne, Syaoran-kun." Fye stood beside him, gazing out at the freezing sea. "Do you remember what we said to you back in the world with the glowing lake?"

Syaoran nodded, giving a slight honest smile.

"I know it seems hard right now… to smile and laugh while Sakura-chan's not here. But wherever she is, whatever she's doing, she wouldn't want you to be worrying so much. I know, and I know you know too… Sakura isn't totally weak and she can take care of herself. Loosen up a bit hmm? We can handle anything Sephiria will hold up against us. It's just her, against the 3 of us."

Syaoran nodded again in reply. As Fye turned to help Mokona, Syaoran called out, "Fye-san?"

He turned back to face the young boy. "Well, I'm not known to give the best advice but…" Fye strode over and sat down on the dew-covered grass on the hill. He patted the grass beside him, motioning Syaoran to sit down with a warm smile. "I'll try to help." Their horses neighed gently behind them, trying to shake off the cold. Mokona's giggles could still be heard and he was continuously stretched.

Syaoran obeyed and the two sat in silence for a while watching tiny stars appear in the darkening sky.

"When I was in my room after we saw the ashes, I felt like I'd go insane. Just the thought of it hurt… the thought that the girl I love is no longer with me. NO longer in this world, or any world… because no one, not even someone who looks like her, talks like her, acts like her… is my Sakura. I couldn't… no I can't bear the thought of it at all. It was the same when she first lost her memories. She was frigid cold in my arms, and the high priest Yukito told me of her condition. But at that time, there was hope to save her… a tiny spark of hope but it still existed. Seeing the ashes were different to me… it felt like the end of the world and there was no turning back… an apocalypse for my heart. I was desperate to find some hope for that situation… I guess that's one of the reasons that kept me from falling over the edge of insanity."

Kurogane's battle with Mokona seemed to have seized behind them, and the horses did not stir. The wind continued flowing lazily along, swaying the long grass below.

"It's hard to say… how shall I put this?" Fye thoughtfully said. "It seems like you're doubting if you two will ever be together hm? Syaoran, there's always two types of endings for love. There's the tragic one, and the happily-ever-after that many believe to never exist. Every relationship goes through many hardships and problems, each trouble trying to pry the two apart. Some loves end, and they call it tragic because there was no happy ending. Those who've experience it time and time again believe that true love, and true happiness do not exist at all, and that they're just wishful desires of our minds. But when you see two people who've been thrown mercilessly into crushing torments and still come out hand in hand, you know that some things are meant to be. Love cannot be so easily conquered by evil. Love has and always will transcend through time and space… and you and Sakura are solid proof that it transcends through that and worlds as well."

"Fye-san, you can't say that…"

"What do you mean, Syaoran?"

"Sakura… I don't think she loves me. And even if she had growing feelings for me, I shattered them last night. Before she was kidnapped, she saw something between Esmerelda-hime and me. I didn't' want to ever hurt her or see her hurt at all, and I wanted to explain but my chance was snatched away. If she ever did have feelings for me, they're gone with the wind."

"Hm," Fye absent-mindedly wiped some dew off of a few nearby blades of grass. "I beg to differ, Syaoran-kun. But we'll never know for sure until you ask her yourself, so when you find her, tell her how you feel, and she'll answer you." He stood up with a smile, and brushed off invisible dust specks from his white coat.

"I agree!" Mokona jumped onto Syaoran's shoulder. "Tell her, Syaoran-kun, it'll do both of you good! Nee, you both deserve sooo much!"

"Hey-ey Mokona!" Fye said. "I bet you 10 hugs from Kurogane that Syaoran will do it sometime this week!"

"DON'T INCLUDE ME IN THIS! I'M NOT GIVING OUT ANY HUGS, YOU HEAR ME! ANY!" Kurogane stomped angrily beside the horses, causing them to scatter nervously away from him.

"Ne, I say tonight!" Mokona cried out hoping Kurogane will hear, trying to keep a straight face at the same time. He couldn't manage it. "Price! 20 hugs AND a kiss from Kurogane!"

Fye laughed. "Great price! It's a deal!" He shook the bun's paw as Kurogane screamed with rage in the background, scattering birds to rush out in panic from a nearby tree.

Syaoran smiled and couldn't keep a laugh from coming out. Mokona turned to him in amazement, and immediately charged at Syaoran, giving him a big hug.

"Heehee! Mokona feels like that's the first time Syaoran's laughed in ages! Mokona so happy inside now."

The smiles from everyone's faces suddenly faded. Something seemed amiss, and each head turned to the lake. The wind blowing against them seized momentarily, only to ominously shift directions. It whirled the fallen leaves off the ground, pushing them towards the lake where the waters that once lapped calmly were circling round and round.

"It's coming." Fye said as Syaoran got to his feet, his armour clanging gently as he moved. The wind picked up speed, whirring the clouds in the sky around one fixated point in the sky. Then, suddenly a peak of white, like a giant stalactite, a towering ice castle descended from the heavens, lowering into the whirlpool swirling in the lake. It's icy coating glimmered in the soft light from the stars and moon. The castle rumbled as its pointy base collided with the tumbling waters, causing high waves to hit the shore as it sank a little.

The arrival ended as abruptly as it came. All was silent again, and the waters calmed once again, lapping gently against the foundations of ice at the base of the castle.

"That must be it then." Fye said thoughtfully as if it was normal for a random block of ice to descend magically from the sky.

Syaoran nodded. "Sephiria's castle." He tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, Hien.

"Sephiria's… castle?" Mokona puzzled. "But, it cant' be midnight already!"

"It seems midnight is when she actually enters the King's castle in Silan, not when she appears." Kurogane answered. A smirk spread across his face. "A century old sorceress eh? Wonder how powerful she is."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Bwahah XD Finally finished, sorry for the long wait - I've been flooded with school work. Anyways, this chapter can be considered boring I guess '' It's mainly emotions ) and a transition to the action chapters coming up - Sephiria has finally arrived, and is that the same castle Sakura is in? Has Sakura entirely given up on her love for Syaoran? Stay tuned! 


	6. Chapter 6: The Other Romeo

**Author's notes:**

'' Haven't updated in so long, sorry! But now that my exams are over, here's the latest chapter! Last time we left off, Sephiria's castle had appeared and landed in the lake. Will Syaoran find Sakura? Has Sakura entirely given up on her love for Syaoran? And what's this about that mysterious group of people who are always watching them… working with Sephiria?

**Note:** I do not own any of the characters! They are copyright of CLAMP and I do not take credit for any EXISTING characters, though I will create a few of my own for the purpose of this story. My story is about a new world that Syaoran and the gang go to next. Please note that it takes place after they leave the Oûto world (the world where they were actually inside a game). **I created personality features for characters still mysterious in the Tsubasa series: they may not (well, most likely aren't) be what CLAMP has planned for them, but for the purpose of my story, that's how they are! Ok?** That's enough for now. Enjoy!

**What happened last time:**

"_It's coming." Fye said as Syaoran got to his feet, his armour clanging gently as he moved. The wind picked up speed, whirring the clouds in the sky around one fixated point in the sky. Then, suddenly a peak of white, like a giant stalactite, a towering ice castle descended from the heavens, lowering into the whirlpool swirling in the lake. It's icy coating glimmered in the soft light from the stars and moon. The castle rumbled as its pointy base collided with the tumbling waters, causing high waves to hit the shore as it sank a little._

_The arrival ended as abruptly as it came. All was silent again, and the waters calmed once again, lapping gently against the foundations of ice at the base of the castle._

"_That must be it then." Fye said thoughtfully as if it was normal for a random block of ice to descend magically from the sky._

_Syaoran nodded. "Sephiria's castle." He tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, Hien._

"_Sephiria's… castle?" Mokona puzzled. "But, it cant' be midnight already!"_

"_It seems midnight is when she actually enters the King's castle in Silan, not when she appears." Kurogane answered. A smirk spread across his face. "A century old sorceress eh? Wonder how powerful she is."_

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Other Romeo**

Sephiria lowered her staff, the feather shuttered slightly in its cage after descending the castle into the sea. The sorceress stared down at the white treasure floating within the ice, pondering. _It's been shaking every time I use magic since that girl was brought here. I wonder…_

"Sephiria." The mirror echoed out, the low voice echoing through the lonely walls in the chamber.

The sorceress turned back to the round mirror beside her, suppressing the wave of hatred that had just risen within her. "The castle has been moved to the ground, and your request for the room has been completed."

The man smiled. "Good, One moment while I talk to the boy…" He rose from his throne and moved beyond the mirror's field of view. Sephiria breathed out and waited.

Fei Reed beckoned the experiment towards him. The chocolate-haired boy approached, bowing to his master.

"It is time. Follow the plan and carry out your task by all means. Do you still desire her?"

The boy nodded. "Certainly, master."

A smirk spread across the man's face. "Of course… you almost ARE that boy. Good. Now, this may be our only chance, so get what I need by all means; understand? Take down anyone who gets in your way."

"Yes."

"Obedient as always. Try not to fail me, Kourya."

"Yes, master." Kourya bowed, his brown hair obscuring the view of his eye patch for a brief moment. Turning on his heels, he strode towards the mirror.

"Sephiria will bring you to that world using the feather in her possession. Take care, see you soon." Fei gave a daunting smile as Kourya stepped in front of the mirror and soon began dissolving slowly to nothing, heading to the world on the other side of the glass.

As Kourya floated towards Sephiria's chamber, he couldn't help but feel a smile creep across his lips. _Sakura… I'll be seeing you… soon. _His feet suddenly touched the icy floor and he opened his eye to see the cloaked woman before him, the same one he'd always seen through the mirror.

Kourya bowed, "My Lady." The mirror now grew blank, indicating that the connection was now broken.

"You look… just like that other boy…" the sorceress said softly. "I do pray your master's intentions can be to my liking." The voice roughened suddenly as she continued. "Just make sure you do not interfere with mine."

Kourya bowed again as Sephiria walked past him, heading for the chamber doors to go meet the challengers.

"Don't worry, my lady." Kourya's voice stopped the sorceress in her tracks. "I will not interfere with yours. However, my master's plans for me to carry out… he knows you will not like." The sorceress turned her head slightly, eyeing the strange boy.

_He is not like that other boy…_ Sephiria stepped out of the room, without a second glance. _This one… has a heart of ice._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As she felt a slight shiver run up her spine, Sakura looked up from the floor. The castle had been stable for a while now, but something had felt wrong just now. Sakura had been crouching low, holding Snow tightly in her arms when the castle began to shake.

_An earthquake? No… we're in the air, right?_ Sakura pushed off the carpet and headed towards the window again, and this time, she saw pure blue water lapping gently against the base of the castle foundations. _The…sea?_

Sakura rushed to the door and was reaching for the doorknob when she remembered the sorceress' words.

_Do not wonder from your rooms. Stay only in the room and the kitchen, understand?_

She lowered her hand, and turned back to face the glow from the fireplace. Snow whined in her arms, tilting its head to the side.

"I won't disobey her, Snow." Sakura placed the bear on the bed, and sat down on the carpet before the fireplace. "She's given me a brand new start, I should at least listen to her in return. If this is something I need to worry about, she'll tell me. I know Sephiria isn't entirely cold-hearted… the angel in her still exists… still alive."

Snow's little figure slouched as it exhaled, as if giving a weary sigh. It shook its white head furiously, then leapt off the bed and bolted out the flap at the bottom of the door.

"Snow!" Sakura rushed after the polar bear, but stopped at the door. "Snow…" a sad expression covered her face. "You won't leave me right? You won't leave me alone… like Syaoran did?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The three rode towards the edge of the lake, the horse's hooves thundering against the frozen earth. Towering ahead, the castle grew in the distance with its icy walls shimmering from the tiny stars scattered across the darkening velvet sky. The shadows stretched forever under the light of the moon, reflecting off the surface of the chilling waters.

Syaoran's heart grew more anxious as they neared the lake, his perseverance as strong as ever. A gloomy path of ice began to join the shore with to the door of the castle, crackling while it built itself while the horses drew nearer.

Syaoran, Fye, and Kurogane reached the edge of the field, right in front of the ice bridge, which was finishing its own construction. The crunching seized and a deafening silence hung in the air. They leapt off their horses, both Syaoran and Kurogane unconsciously resting their palms over the hilt of their swords.

"Ne? What do we do now?" Mokona asked, peeking out from Fye's white hood.

"Hush Mokona…" He answered the white pork bun. "I think it's best that you stay hidden for now." Mokona obeyed and scurried deeper into his hood.

The castle doors, as if springing to life in the frozen landscape, began to creak open, a gaping darkness seemed to echo from within. A silver-white figure came to view, holding a long staff in one hand. The horses fidgeted nervously.

Sephiria's hood was still up, and the ice encaging the feather glimmered slightly in the radiance of the moon high above. Her majestic strides carried her across the newly formed ice bridge and soon she stood metres from the travellers, stopping near the end of the ice bridge.

"Odd-looking group," her cold voice ran out. She eyed each traveller from under her hood. "… to be the ones who will try to defeat me." Her glace wavered on Syaoran, catching the strong fires of determination in his brown eyes. _Just as Fei suspected… he came for her._

"Where is Sakura?" He demanded, ignoring her devious comment. His grip on his sword tightened.

"Ah yes… Sakura." She let out a cold laugh. "My servant brought her last night, but by all means try to claim her again. "She waved her hand towards the still open doors at the end of the bridge. Syaoran looked hesitantly at the sorceress. "However, I will only allow one of you in. I do not want so many strangers wandering my castle, and you seem to be the most harmless. And are you not here to "defeat" me as well, you little rodents?" A smirk inched across her face as a joyous feeling spread through her heart. _I haven't had a fight in so long… _Her fingers flexed as she held onto her staff, itching to reuse her powers.

Syaoran did not move. _Why was Sephiria freely letting an enemy into her castle? And to find someone she has taken captive? Why-_

"Syaoran, go in." Fye's gentle hand patted his back, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Trust me on this one, it's safe to go in." Syaoran looked up at the blond, and Fye smiled warmly. "Get the princess and come out fast, ne, Syaoran-kun? Kuro-pi and I can't fight her without knowing both of you are alright. Go in, trust me." He gave an encouraging wink, and pushed him forward.

Syaoran nodded and strode towards Sephiria, who stood quietly as if bored.

"Ah, so you're the one going in? Then you must be…" she paused for effect. "Syaoran."

He did not ask any questions, nor change his expression.

"Oh, she cries and _cries_ and it's always about you." Syaoran's expression changed, a wave of shock came tumbling on his heart. _Sakura… cried about me? _"Just get that nuisance to stop _crying_ at least. Now go before I change my mind."

Syaoran bowed in thanks and sprinted down the bridge, its surface was surprisingly not slippery at all. Hien clattered gently at his side against his armour. _Sakura… please let what Sephiria said not be true. Please… I hope I'm not the cause of your sadness._

He entered the darkness of the castle and could immediately feel the powerful aura surround him. The castle must've been made completely out of magic. Soon, he was completely engulfed by the black surroundings as he walked further into the castle, his armour clanging noisily as he moved, echoing in the silence.

_I can't walk around with so much noise and clatter…_The aura was blurring his senses of living things, and the last thing he needed after this impairment was to make himself heard by any possible attackers. Syaoran's eyesight slowly began to adjust to the dim light of the castle, and the walls seemed to begin glowing to life.

He paused by the ice wall and tried desperately tried hard to sense life forms. Through the thick magic, he could not detect anything around him. Syaoran clutched his sword between his teeth and took off his black armour, lowering each piece gently to the iced floor. The thin light fabric of his Clow clothes from his and Sakura's home world were not enough to keep out the lashing cold of the air. Just as he finished strapping his cloak back on, he felt something soft brush past his legs, and immediately unsheathed his sword. The sudden clang of metal scared the little creature and sent it tumbling clumsily over Syaoran's shoe. His eyes had finally gotten used to the glow from the reflecting walls.

Syaoran squinted down to see a baby snow-white polar bear sprawled on the ice, its tiny paws rubbing the top of its head. Its body was quivering in fright.

"I'm sorry!" Syaoran sheathed his sword and bent down to extend a gentle hand to the little bear. "What're you doing by yourself out here?"

Snow looked up at the boy and sat up, shaking its head to clear its thoughts. _Ne… was this person who was sad about?_

Syaoran gave the little bear a small smile, and patted its head gently. "Are you alright?"

Suddenly, Snow jumped into his lap and cuddled with him. _It must be him, it must be him! Sakura, Sakura, I found him!_

Syaoran smiled and hugged the little bear too. A sweet lingering scent of cherry blossoms rose from Snow's fur, reaching Syaoran's sense. It seemed like-

Sakura.

"Sakura…" Syaoran stared down at the bear, who looked up into his eyes with light grey pupils. "Do you… know where Sakura is?" He felt a little ridiculous asking a polar bear a question, let alone directions to the location of a person.

To his surprise, Snow gave a content yip, and hopped off Syaoran's lap. Skidding on the ice, it scrambled back to Syaoran and began tugging his pant leg, urging him down a hall.

"You want me to follow you?" Syaoran blinked.

Snow continued tugging, its paws slipping on the smooth surface of the ice as it tried to drag Syaoran's weight.

He laughed, admiring the little bear's brave efforts. "Ok, lead the way, little one." Syaoran followed the white furball, gripping his sword tightly in his hand.

_Lead me… to Sakura._

_----------------------------------------------------------------_

Kourya strode around another bend, his reflection distorting slightly in the shimmering walls of ice. The plan his master had ordered him to carry out was playing over and over again in his head like an old skipping record. Soft glows from the walls reflected off his skin, where the tints of his red markings across his arms were visibly seen in the dim light. Turning another bend, Kourya saw paths of light creeping across the cold floors, stretching out from beneath a doorway in the distance.

A smile crept across his face, eerily resembling the same smile Syaoran has… the same smile Sakura holds so dear to her heart. _Sakura… I'll make you mine._

_----------------------------------------------------------------_

A cold wind blew as Fye and Kurogane stood in silence with Sephiria. There had been an awkward silence as they watched Syaoran's figure disappear through the darkness and the gates closed with a heavy thud behind him.

"Why are you here?" Sephiria's voice cut coldly through the night air. Her fierce gaze, though undetected by her upturned hood, were gleaming maliciously at Fye.

"Yes yes Sephiria, long time no see." Fye replied with his usual smile. "How've you been?"

"I knew it." Kurogane grunted.

Fye turned his head cheerfully, and gave him his usual mysterious smile. "Hm, Kuro-puu?"

"Sephiria must be someone from your past, or else how the heck would you know each other. 'Long time no see' means this isn't the first time you've met."

Mokona let out a muffled "Mmhmm" from deep within Fye's hood, soft enough to be undetected by the sorceress.

"Ne." Fye grinned, and scratched the back of his head. "Nothing gets by you, huh Kuro-chan? I've known Sephiria for quiet a few years. Well, in this world, time goes by faster than in the world I came from… so here it would be more like 100 years instead of just a few. Isn't that right… Ameko?"

The wind picked up speed, knocking Sephiria's hood off her brown-haired head. The light cast from the moon caught her stunning eyes… fading into a bright green from the red of the sorceress' glance. The dragon tattoo seemed to fuse with the skin, its dark hue melting into her soft pale skin that hadn't seen sunlight in years. A sincere smile spread dimly on her lips.

"Yes… Fye D. Flowright." Sephiria replied, her green eyes glinting in the moonlight.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura sat in front of the fireplace, waiting for Snow to return. The crackling of the fireplace was comforting as the flame's warmth embraced her tenderly.

_This would be a nice place to cuddly with someone. _She thought with a sad smile. Her thoughts unwillingly lurched towards Syaoran.

"Syaoran-kun…" She traced her fingers gently on the carpet floor, painting his name in kanji.

小狼

A tear trickled down her cheek, dripping with a quiet tap to the carpet beneath her.

"Oh no… I don't want to be sad anymore… why does it hurt me so much?" She cried gently as more tears poured out.

Outside, just a wall away, Syaoran sprinted after the little bear, who was incredibly speedy despite his timid size. As he turned another corner to finally face a door, he thought he saw a glimpse of a shadow at the end of the hall, but Syaoran shook it off. The ice's reflections played tricks with your eyes… that must be why the shadow looked like him. The running had made the cape a little too warm for comfort, and Syaoran took it off. Snow was fidgeting with the door, trying to creep through the flap at the bottom again but could not. Syaoran bent down to inspect the hinge for the bear's own little door. It was one way, and it seemed you could only come out through it, and not back in.

Snow heaved a great sigh, its furry white shoulders sagging down in defeat. Syaoran tested the doorknob and the door slid open without a single bit of noise. Snow cocked up its head in optimism.

The sound that wafted to them however froze Syaoran's heart more than the chilling air.

The gentle cries rushed to his ears, pounding in his mind like the monstrous tumbling of a thousands boulders. A hunched figure sat before the fireplace, wearing a white dress that was a little tattered and dirty from a struggle.

Sakura's shoulders heaved gently as she sobbed into her hands, her messy auburn hair shone softly in the light of the fireplace.

Syaoran stood frozen at the doorway. Snow was beside him, unsure of what to do. Its face was contorted into a painful expression, and Snow shifted on all four paws, preparing to run yet hesitant. It seemed, the little bear felt the same as Syaoran did. A part of him wanted to run towards her and hold Sakura in his embrace, to tell her everything was alright and that she was safe. And yet…

Yet there was something holding him back, rooting his feet to the floor where he stood. He had never… ever since he met Sakura that one fateful day in Clow… never seen her cry. _Was Sephiria right? Was she…crying about… me?_

Syaoran began quietly. "S-"

"S-Syaoran…" Sakura sobbed, still clueless to the audience behind her. "Why aren't you c-coming?" She managed between heart-felt sobs. "Why a-are you marrying h-her? Why is it… t-that you cause my heart s-so much p-pain? W-why does it… hurt so much… Syaoran…"

He stood transfixed, his back facing the doorway and the dark hall behind. His heart felt like it was being torn apart piece by piece by Sakura's pain. Each shattered fragment fell in the deep endless abysmal of Syaoran's mind, his chest felt tight and he felt he couldn't breathe. _Sephiria was right. Sakura… was crying about me. I caused her pain._ He took a frightful step backwards._ What… should I do?_

_But what… marriage?_ It suddenly hit him, engulfing him in further despair. _Sephiria must've lied to her, to further turn her again me. But-_

A hand grabbed him from behind to cover his mouth and a sudden physical pain pierced Syaoran in his upper arm. He felt liquid being injected into his arm as the attacked dragged him outside, snatching Snow's attention away from the hopeless girl by the fire. The little bear pounded outside after the struggling pair committee, baring its small white teeth. Syaoran could feel his strength diminishing, and quickly threw the cap in his hand over Snow to keep him hidden from the attacker. _If I can't be there for her… at least you can._

"You will NOT have my Sakura." The heated voice echoed into Syaoran's ear. _Isn't that… my voice?_ His grip on the attacker arm loosen continuously as he tried to fight the potion he was given. Syaoran was loosing all control of his body and soon fell limply into the stranger's clutches. Two strong hands pulled him up as his vision fogged.

Syaoran could see a blurred image of Snow, fighting to untangle itself from the cape. Sakura's sobs could still be heard faintly as Kourya dragged Syaoran down the hall.

The only words he heard faded out as he fought the needle

"Syaoran… I…" The crystal ice walls disappeared and he fell into darkness as he lost consciousness. Sakura's words didn't reach his ear.

"…love you."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kurogane was utterly confused. _Ameko? Sephiria? Who… _Fye answered his questions before he could separate his lips.

"Sephiria was known as Ameko in my home world, Kuro-tin. Ameko Hotoroshi." Kurogane twinged at the nickname Fye called him by. "She was… my King's one love. Ameko was selected to marry to King Ashura."

"Against my will." A light flicker of red flashed through Ameko's eyes as she stood calmly a few meters away. "I had no intention of marrying your King at all."

"Feh. Still don't see how you're related to this sorceress. If you knew who she was, why didn't you tell any of us? Not even the kid? Hell, now that I think about it, we don't know anything about you." Kurogane's patience was wearing thin. He hated being clued out as to what was going on. And Fye's mysterious past had dragged on long enough.

Fye gave a gentle smile at him (which annoyed Kurogane even more) then turned to Ameko. "Would you like to tell him, or should I?"

"You, Fye-san. But hurry. The sorceress's patience wears thin." Ameko replied with a tone of anxiety. The feather quivered in her grasp.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sedated Syaoran slowly came to, his mind groggy from the needle. The attacker was still dragging him to an unknown destination, supporting Syaoran's weight. He could feel cold sweat gathering on his skin.

He tried to move but his muscles did not obey. Vision still blurred, Syaoran began to urge his mind to work. Nothing came, except the stabbing memory of Sakura crying by the fire. He let out an unexpected groan, bringing the attacker's face towards his. Staring into his eyes, through his foggy vision, Syaoran could still make out the facial features in the dim glow of the frozen walls.

The boy looked exactly like him, except for a black eye patch strapped over the left eye. Kourya's face suddenly twisted into a look of disgust, and veered straight to his left, forcing open a heavy door set in the ice wall. He threw Syaoran into the room, and slammed the door behind.

Syaoran's impact with the hard stone floor of the room seemingly awoke his senses, sending a surge of pain through his body. He inhaled a cold breathe through his clutched teeth as he tried to ignore the pain as he usually does. Assuming he had his body back, Syaoran began to push himself off the floor, getting to his feet with great effort.

Kourya rounded on him, forcing him to crash back onto the floor with a solid kick in the stomach.

"You came for her. As expected as it was… how could you come to cause more her more pain?" He hissed through his teeth. Ignoring the spinning in his head Syaoran could barely stand to hear a boy with the same voice speaking ruthlessly to him… it was like his own consciousness attacking his already wounded heart.

Syaoran spat blood onto the cobble floor, arguing with his body to move properly. The needle was still taking effect, his head felt groggy.

Kourya grabbed Syaoran by the collar, lifting him from the floor and stared into the same brown eyes. "You broke her heart. You tore her heart in two; fiancé to one girl, while still chasing her?"

"You know… I'm not getting married." Syaoran was able to grunt in a low voice, straining his body to work. "How… do you… know… about us? Who… are you…"

"Kourya." His stare continued to fixate on Syaoran. "I AM you, so to speak. But you, are in my way." Kourya's grip tightened on Syaoran's shirt, then he flung him hard against the wall behind them.

Syaoran's skull impacted with a painful thump against the stone wall, completely blanking out his vision. His skull and back felt shattered by the impact, his senses tingling madly as the sedate continued to flow in Syaoran's veins. He heard the sound of metal chains clinking, seemingly far and distant. A trail of blood began running down his temple, tainting his cold skin as it slithered down. A sudden threatening crack echoed through the stone chamber.

"She won't accept me… at least, until you are gone." The voice seemed faint in his ears now as he fought the pain in his head. The sounds of chains continued grinding as he spoke. Syaoran felt the gravity begin pulling heavier on his body as he was dragged upward, hung by his arms. "Since you came for her, then I must get rid of you. Those were my orders… so, goodbye. And thank you…" A slicing pain cut through Syaoran's chest.

Kourya sneered. "…for the eye, Syaoran."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Let me just say, to all those Syaoran fanatics, that I'm a huge Syaoran fan too. Like, really really huge! XD Only my close friends would know just how much, but let me say that I didn't enjoy writing that last scene ''. I'm a weird person because I can think of a lot of… painful tragic scenes in my mind, and while I was writing, this is how it came out ) Don't murder me, it'll get better. And this scene will prove to be important later ok? Bear with me! Also, I'm not sure if you can relate to how Sakura felt, and yes, I know she's so optimistic in the manga. But when it comes to love, we can all get depressed. That's a REALLY simplified version of what Sakura's going through, I guess. - Hope you get what I mean!

Anyways, what did Kourya mean by "thank you for the eye"? (I have my own twist here for this XD) Will Sakura realize Syaoran's in the castle? What exactly is Fye's relation to Sephiria? Find it next chapter! )


	7. Chapter 7: Chain My Body, Not My Heart

**Author's notes:**

'' Haven't updated in so long, sorry! But now that my exams are over, here's the latest chapter! Last time we left off, Sephiria's castle had appeared and landed in the lake. Will Syaoran find Sakura? Has Sakura entirely given up on her love for Syaoran? And what's this about that mysterious group of people who are always watching them… working with Sephiria?

**Note:** I do not own any of the characters: they're copyright of CLAMP and I don't take credit for any EXISTING characters, though I do create a few of my own. My story is about a new world that Syaoran and the gang go to. Please note that it takes place after they leave the Oûto world (the world where they actually were inside a game). **I created personality and background features for characters still mysterious in the Tsubasa series: they may not (well, most likely aren't) be what CLAMP has planned for them, but for the purpose of my story, that's how they are! (Especially for Fye) ** Ok? That's enough for now. Enjoy!

**What happened last time:**

"_You know… I'm not getting married," Syaoran was able to grunt in a low voice, straining his body to the point of collapse just to speak. "How… do you… know… about us? Who… are you…"_

"_Kourya," His stare continued to fixate on Syaoran, "I AM you, so to speak, but you are in my way." Kourya's grip tightened on Syaoran's shirt, before flnging him hard against the wall behind them._

_Syaoran's skull impacted with a painful thump against the stone wall, completely blanking out his vision. His skull and back felt shattered by the impact, his senses tingling madly as the sedate continued to flow in Syaoran's veins. He heard the sound of metal chains clinking, seemingly far and distant. A trail of blood began running down his temple, tainting his cold skin as it slithered down. A sudden threatening crack echoed through the stone chamber._

"_She won't accept me… at least, not until you are gone." The voice seemed faint in his ears now as he fought the piercing pain in his head. The sounds of chains continued grinding as he spoke. Syaoran felt the gravity begin pulling harder on his body as he was dragged upward, hung by his arms. "Since you came for her, I must get rid of you. Those were my orders… so, goodbye. And thank you…" A slicing pain cut through Syaoran's chest._

_Kourya sneered. "…for the eye, Syaoran."_

* * *

**Chapter 7: Chain My Body, Not My Heart**

"Why the hell are you talking in third person?" Kurogane shouted angrily at the sorceress. His patience was wearing thin, too; if there was going to be a fight, than LET there be a fight. He was sick of all this waiting. And what in the world does Fye have to do with this sorceress, anyways?

"Kuro-puu, let me explain to your delicate mind!" Fye started.

"What the hell!" Kurogane retorted, a surge of anger running through his veins. "Did you send the kid in for another reason, other than to save the girl? What've you been plotting with this witch…are you trying to get rid of us because we're lagging you behind with the search for the girl's feathers? That's it, isn't it? You probably set this up with your little magic friends to get rid of us, so you could keep fleeing at a faster pace. Is that it!"

Fye's expression was one of utter confusion and surprise at Kurogane's outburst. "Nee… Kuro-chan, what ARE you talking about? Don't jump to conclusions without knowing the full story. You may be smart Kuro-tan, but not this time."

"Feh," Kurogane turned his head away. "I'm never going to understand you. And how can I not jump to conclusions? We know nothing about you, so how the hell am I supposed to know what you're hiding? Maybe the pork bun knows something or other… but not me, or the kid, or the girl. You could be a criminal for all we know!"

"Wwwweeeellll… I…sort of am," Fye stated shyly, scratching the back of his head. A vein popped in Kurogane's temple, and he sighed, plopping down onto the cold ground in defeat.

"Get on with it, but make it short. I hate being confused."

"In my home kingdom of Seresu, King Ashura needed a wife to rule beside him. As mentioned before, Ameko here was a candidate for that position. She, however, was looked down upon because of her split personality… as a kind, sweet tenshi, and as the suppressed dark sorceress. They were afraid that if she became Queen, her evil side may surface at anytime and wreak havoc through the kingdom. Ameko, which is her name when she is her tenshi-self, was a magical assistant in the kingdom, who worked alongside me a few times. After my King laid eyes on her however, he fell in love, and knew she was the one he wanted to marry. But the prospect of Ameko, a girl who was suppressing her own evil, was not exactly a happy thought to the citizens of Seresu."

"I did not want to marry him either Fye-san, so it suited me fine." Ameko's voice called out, a momentary flicker of red shone from her eyes, but it soon faded to green again. She turned her head away when she felt Kurogane's silent glance.

Fye gave a slight nod, and ventured on with his tale. "King Ashura obviously picked her as his bride, but Ameko was…very reluctant. She came to me and begged for my help in escaping the marriage, but I was not sure what to do. Ashura, as well as being my King, had also been a long, dear friend to me. The prospect of betraying him and losing his trust by helping his love run away was not in my interest. I told Ameko no, and she slowly went into a state of depression as she ran out of choices…eventually going into a state of suicide. I never thought that it would be so cruel for her to marry someone she did not love…so in a panic, I decided to help her and sent her to another world for her own safety and happiness. I could not keep her in the same world as King Ashura because he would never give up searching for her, nor it would seem, find a new love. As I sent Ameko away, I believed I made the right decision: I saved her life, and Ashura could now find someone he could love who would love him in return. But I was wrong. After he found out Ameko had fled and that I, his trusted friend, was the one who helped her, he went into a state of depression as well. My life was spared, even though I committed an act of treason, because I was still his dear friend and the only magical defence of the kingdom. King Ashura slowly forgot to smile…always dreaming of Ameko in the night, only to wake to face the reality.

"Years went by, and things only changed for the worse. King Ashura continued to mope in a state of denial at his loss and the kingdom slowly began to crumble. Armies attacked, and he'd feebly send them to their deaths with no strategic plan at all. None had ever come back. If he kept on the way he did, Ashura would have died and the kingdom utterly destroyed. Fearing for his safety, and for the safety of the people of Seresu, I planned another act of treachery. I attacked his palace, and temporarily knocked out the guards, and put my King to sleep in a magical barrier. Harsh as it may sound, it will hopefully save his life and the kingdom."

"How would that save the kingdom, if the ruler's asleep and no one can get to him?" Kurogane questioned, still sitting on the dew-covered ground. The ice castle loomed high beside them and the growing night splashed across the meadow, drowning the dark green in a sea of darkness.

"While he sleeps, he'll have good dreams. And the human mind is not one to dwell on a sad thought forever. Each soul seeks for happiness, and always searches for a new hope and bliss to hang on to…something with which they can start over and find a reason to smile again. In King Ashura's dreams, he'll be able to do that, and not dwell continuously on the reality that Ameko isn't there, and that they could never be together. That thought was driving him insane, Kurogane, you have to understand how I felt at the time. He was dying in his heart, and it was the only way I could save him from himself."

Kurogane finally turned his gaze up to Fye's serious glance. There was no hint of his usual false smile, but a stern, yet sincere look of confidence. Fye had never called him "Kurogane"…ever. Which meant that this time, he was finally dead serious…no more school-girl nicknames like "Kuro-puu" or "Kuro-chan".

Fye's blue eyes bored into Kurogane's own. "After I put him to sleep, I had to flee because there was no one and nothing between me and the death penalty. I didn't want to die for a good deed I'd done, and that's why I used my magic to take myself to the time-dimension witch."

"This conversation has gone astray." A cold female voice intruded, and they both turned towards the sorceress by the bridge. A dark tattoo crossed her left cheek, and Ameko's green eyes were now a bright blood red, contrasting greatly with the white frosty dew littered at her feet. "It's gone on long enough, and keeping the angel out for that long was absolutely pointless. I haven't gotten anything useful out of you pathetic, blabbering worms. That boy has been taken care of so now it's just you two left. Now, move or I'll make you move."

"Feh…" Kurogane seemed calm as he got to his feet, pulling out his long sword as he did. He adjusted his armour slightly and gave Fye a sideways glance. "Presuming that's no longer the sweet and innocent Ameko?"

Fye gave a daring smile. "Nope…that's Sephiria all right."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Snow gave one last heaving tug at the cloth trapping him down and finally managed to stick its soft white head into the cold air in the hallway. Having finally found an opening in Syaoran's cloak, Snow sprinted out and shook its furry head, then turned to the still open doorway beside it. The soft glow of the fireplace was spilling out, splashing the frozen ice with continuously dancing glimpses of firelight.

Snow was hesitant. Sakura, or the boy? Pricking its ears up, Snow listened for the sounds drifting from Sakura's room, and could hear the faint echo of clattering pots out from the adjacent doorway to the kitchen. Sakura seemed to have calmed down. Snow shook its white head again to clear its thoughts, sniffed the cloak one last time like a dog, and sprinted down the hallway after Syaoran's scent. Even if it was just a little bear, Snow could still be of some help to Sakura and Syaoran, right? It'd make Sakura smile… for real.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inside the kitchen, Sakura was flipping through the pantry, adding in the last ingredients for the soup she was cooking in the kitchen fire. Fye's training from the Cat Eye Café was really coming in handy. As the soup boiled in its final stages within the large black pot, Sakura rummaged through a cupboard, to find some small frozen fish in a bag of ice - most likely for Snow. Placing it on the table, she turned back over to the fire and put it out, rendering the kitchen into semi-darkness. For just a moment before the room grew completely black, Sakura could have sworn she saw a shadow at the doorway watching her.

She paused, not daring to breathe or move. All she could hear was the bubbling of the soup as it cooled in its metal pot, and the distant sound of the crackling fire in the next room. The window a few meters away provided only a tiny bit of light, as the moon was shining on the other side of the ice castle. Sakura threw aside her superstition and lifted the pot gently from its rack. In the dim light, she could barely see, and she realized her mistake at putting out the fire too early. Sakura placed the pot of hot soup on a low table, but some spilled out from the rim and splattered her white dress.

"Oh no…" She groaned as she tried to wipe it off with a towel, but to no avail. A stain spread across the white cloth of her beautiful dress, tainted a sinister red in the darkness, stubbornly unwilling to be wiped away. "Oh, I can't do anything right!" Sakura threw down the towel in frustration and stared down at the stain in the faint light.

She sighed, a sadness creeping into her heart again. Looking down at the white dress brought memories of the previous night flooding back. Her embarrassment as she saw the dress in Syaoran's room for the first time in its cover; the moment she nervously put it on as she wondered what Syaoran would think of it; and the sight of Syaoran, standing at the bottom of the stairs clad in black armour still brought a light blush to her cheeks. Sakura looked back up, and stared at the opposite wall. "I wonder did Syaoran mean what he said when I asked him if I looked alright? Did he…really think I looked -"

A sudden movement in the corner of her eye caught Sakura's attention. As she quickly spun around in panic, she slid on the ice floor and lost her balance, tipping backwards towards the ground. Sakura closed her eyes, waiting for the hard impact between her back and the cold hard floor.

It never came.

She fell into a warm embrace, and two strong arms kept her from falling to the ground. Her head leaned against a warm chest and she smelled a familiar scent, though it seemed foreign at the same instance.

"…beautiful." The voice said in a bare whisper, completing Sakura's incomplete sentence. Sakura's eyes flew open in shock. That voice…

"Syaoran?" The arms lifted her gently to her feet and spun her around, only to wrap Sakura in a long, tight hug.

"Sakura…"

_The voice… The voice was definitely Syaoran's._ Sakura thought as she felt her heart grow lighter, like a giant boulder had been lifted from it. "Syaoran, it IS you!" She, in turn, returned the hug, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I've missed you so much Syaoran, so much!" Her worries seemed to seep away like running water, disappearing into nothing as if they had never existed. Just to be with him again, to hear his voice and to feel his touch; it was enough for her to smile genuinely after what seemed like forever.

"Sakura…" He said again, running a hand through her soft brown hair, the other still around her small waist. "I've wanted to hold you like this for so long…" He tilted his head and planted a small kiss on her cheek near her earlobe.

Sakura blushed at this, and couldn't help but give a small laugh. She was happy…so happy…

She moved her hand slightly from around his neck and felt wetness on his shoulder. Sakura let go of him and peered down curiously at her fingers to exam it in the dim light of the stars.

Blood.

"Syaoran-kun, what -"

"Don't mind that," Was his reply, as he hooked an arm around Sakura's waist and pulled her back to him, kissing her again on the cheek. He wrapped the other arm around her neck, then pushed her against the nearest wall and Sakura kept back a wince of pain as her back made contact with the window sill. The tiny lights from the twinkling night sky shone through the clear panes of ice, hitting the boy's brown hair. His lips moved down her slender neck in continuous kisses, and it sent an odd shiver down Sakura's spine.

"H-hey, Syaoran-kun, stop." Sakura said shyly, keeping in a giggle. There was no reply, and one of his hands was grasping onto the side of her neck, the other running down her back, and didn't stop.

"S-Syaoran…?" Sakura was beginning to grow nervous, and she fidgeted nervously in her position. She was pinned to the windowsill by his body and couldn't move. Something didn't seem right. _Syaoran isn't this type; he's not so forceful…and he'd never ignore what I'd say._ "I said STOP!"

His lips momentarily paused as it left her skin, and Sakura took his hesitation as a chance of escape. She pushed him off of her in an immediate reaction, and he stumbled back. Sakura found herself breathing hard, her heart pounding in her chest. She stared up into his face and a cold fear rose inside of her.

"Syaoran, what happened to your left eye?" A black eye patch was strapped over his left eye, framed by the dim light of the stars. Red marks tattooed the skin on his arms, crossing each other in intricate designs, burning like ancients seals of wax. "And…your arms?"

Then it hit her. _Syaoran's blind in his right eye…if his left eye was covered…_

"You shouldn't be able to see…" Sakura breathed aloud. Her gaze was fixated on the boy's face. "Who…who are you?"

A familiar smile spread across his face. "I'm your Syaoran, Sakura… who else?"

"No…" Sakura shook her head gently in confusion, her hair swayed softly in unison. "No, Syaoran isn't like you… I don't care if you look and sound like him, you CAN'T be Syaoran!"

The smile faded from his lips and was replaced with a solemn look. "Hm…seems the master is wrong…" _I got rid of the boy, so why will she not turn to me yet? Perhaps…_

Sakura stood rooted to the spot, scared beyond her wits. _Who was this guy? Why does he look like Syaoran? Where is Syaoran?_

"Where's Syaoran-kun!" Sakura demanded, a small flame of courage beginning to burn in her heart. _He's here, right? Would Syaoran come for me?_

The boy continued pondering in silence. _Master said that Syaoran would never confess…so he'd reject her thoroughly enough that she'd come back to me…right?_ He raised his gaze and stared at Sakura. The longing in his eyes seemed alien compared to Syaoran's character, and it sent another shiver down Sakura's spine.

"Syaoran's been…taken care of," he chose his words carefully.

"What do you mean…?" A tone of panic rose in Sakura's voice, unsuppressed. "What've you…you CLONE done to him!"

"The name's Kourya, Sakura, but I can be any name you wish." He replied instead.

Sakura felt a strange wave of anger rise inside, and she couldn't help but burst. "Don't avoid my question, 'Kourya!' What'd you do with Syaoran-kun!"

A sinister smile crossed Kourya's face. "Why don't you go find him and see for yourself?" He leaned against an adjacent wall, clearing a path for her to head out. "I left him in a room somewhere in this ice fortress. Perhaps…after seeing how he is, you'll realize I'm the only one left here for you now, hm?" _You'll see…who's better to return your love, Sakura. Me, or him._

She stormed past him without a second glance and ran through her room and out the door ajar into the cold hallway. She sprinted in any direction, hoping to find some sign of Syaoran, and spotted the black cloak on the chilling ice floor. Picking it up, Sakura could make out small white hairs statically clinging to portions of the cloak in the glowing light of the walls.

"Snow?" _Had Snow been with Syaoran?_ Sakura dashed down the hallway, carrying the cloak in her tightly clutched arms, praying that the fears flowing through her mind were just from paranoia.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Guess we won't be hearing her side of the story now, huh, Kuro-woof?" Fye shook his head gently with a small smile across his lips. "Awww, and I was so looking forward to hearing about her adventure in this world!"

"Back to calling me crazy names? Feh…" Kurogane stated. "Our conversation wasn't over either…and just when you were being serious for once, and not hiding behind that plastic smile."

"Hm? Kuro-puppy doesn't like it when I smile?" Fye was still smiling, proving Kurogane's point. "And we had more to talk about, Kuro-chan?"

Kurogane gave a tired sigh, indicating he was through with playing games. As he began striding towards the impatient sorceress, he called over his shoulder. "I know that can't be the full story behind you. Now let's take her down already."

A smile played across Sephiria's face, the dragon tattoo distorting slightly as her lips moved. "Ah… FINALLY done chatting now?" She watched the tall ninja draw closer, seemingly just as bored as she was with all the waiting. Sephiria couldn't help but smirk when she saw the longing in his red eyes for battle, and lifted her staff, chanting a spell. The feather glowed a light blue, radiating sparks through its cage of ice. "You shall feel my wrath!"

A sudden slice cut through her cloak, knocking her concentration amiss. An arm threw hers towards the ice castle, redirecting the spell towards Sephiria's own creation. The streak of blue magic collided with the tall east tower of her castle, deteriorating it into a million shards of flying ice, tumbling into the seas or onto the castle itself.

"Oh hoho, Kuro-puu!" Fye called out a distance away. "You just got her VERRRRRYY angry!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura was sprinting down another hallway when the castle shook abruptly, a loud booming sound echoing through the castle, followed by thousands of softer bangs from above. She leaned against the wall in fear, clutching Syaoran's cloak to her face. Sakura inhaled his lingering scent and felt a glimmer of strength fill her heart. _Syaoran-kun…_

Without thinking, she began running again, looking for a door, or at least a sign of Snow. The rumbling stopped, and the last pinks of impact faded.

A white ball caught her eyes as she dashed passed a corridor to her left, and Sakura backed up to see the white fluff ball, framed against the darkness of the castle halls, scratching furiously at a door against the left wall.

"Snow!" Sakura ran to the little bear. It pounced into her arms and she cuddled it, happy to have found Snow. "Have you seen Syaoran?" Snow nodded its head furiously and scampered back to the door, ramming it with its little body.

Sakura moved towards it, and pushed hard against the wooden door herself. It gave way with a soundless swing, leading to a seemingly pitch-black room. An eerie silence echoed out from within.

From the soft glow of the hallway, Sakura could make out a metal lantern hanging by the door. Picking it up, she felt lingering warmth in the metal, and turn the small dial near the bottom. A fire lit inside the glass panes of the lantern, burning brightly from the gas and casting light into the shadows of the room.

Sakura felt Snow rub against her leg, and looked own to see the little bear pushing her into the room. She stepped cautiously in, a panicking fear rising in her chest.

"Syaoran-kun?" her voice echoed shortly in the chamber, noting that it was quite small. As Sakura took another step forward, the lantern's luminosity cast long shadows upon the ground and wall, though the metal cage restricted the span of light. Something shone on the floor and Sakura bent down, lowering the lantern with her.

A splatter of blood stained the cobble stone floor, and between the cracks of the grey stones flowed thin trails of ruby-red. _Was it…Syaoran's blood?_ Sakura thought back to the wet smudge of blood on Kourya's shirt. "Syaoran-kun?" Her voice stressed in tones of panic. Sakura took another few steps, apprehensive what she'll find next.

The beam of light caught another sight. Gleaming its gold colour under the glow of the lantern, a sword in its sheath lay untouched against a wall, as if thrown carelessly away. The inscriptions of flames stood out in the light, and Sakura could identify it as Syaoran's sword. A ring of keys hung on the wall above, along with a discarded thin whip stained with red.

Sakura gripped the lantern's handle shakily, and raised it a little higher up, casting light onto the wall meters in front of her. The sight she saw made her scream in fright, and the lantern fell from her hand and clattered loudly to the floor beside her. It rolled gently back and forth, continuously casting shadows through the chamber.

"Syaoran!" Sakura cried. He was tied up, hung from the ceiling by rusted-red chains to his arms. Lengths of heavy chains pulled his feet towards the floor, as he suspended spread-eagle in mid air, his head dropping into his chest. Deep whiplashes cut through his body, slicing open his skin all over his body.

She rushed in panic to the keys and tremblingly testing each one on Syaoran's handcuffs. As she fought back the sobs threatening to override her, Sakura found the right key and it clicked satisfyingly, and she moved towards the others.

The last handcuff free, Syaoran collapsed with a thump to the floor, his blood still flowing uselessly to the cobbled floor from a deep gash in his chest.

"Syaoran-kun?" Sakura felt tears escaping her eyelids and trail gently down her cheek as she flung down the keys. Gently, she fought with his weight and was eventually able to lift him off the ground and lean him against the closest wall. "Syaoran-kun, answer me." The warm teardrops left her chin, dripping onto his tattered shirt as she leaned in to check the regularity of his breathing. "Please, please don't be dead. I can't live without you." She looked up into his blood stained face, where inklings of his own blood still ran down his perfect skin. Syaoran's eyes were closed, but Sakura could hear a light, painful breathing.

"Syaoran…" Sakura sobbed, wrapping her arms around him, and crying into his shoulder. She felt a clammy coldness in his skin, from having stayed in the cold atmosphere of the castle in a sleeveless top. "Syaoran, please answer me…please…Syaoran…" She closed her eyes to blink away her tears, burying her head in the crook of his shoulder.

Syaoran stirred, his hand twitching in pain as he began to gain consciousness. Sakura's faint sobs were echoing in his head and, at first, he thought of them as the recollections of his memory of her crying by the fireplace. But as his senses grew more distinct, Syaoran realized the warmth of someone's arms around his neck and a light weight upon him. Wet drops were falling gently onto his shoulder, and it felt somewhat soothing on his skin.

"Syaoran-kun…" Sakura cried into his shoulder again.

He opened his mouth and tried to speak, but he could only manage a raspy whisper. "Sa… kura…"

Her eyes flew open in surprise, and she lifted her head to stare once more into his entrancing sweet brown eyes. There wasn't a hint of his usual smile lingering on his lips; only an echo of his pain was written in his oppressed expression as Syaoran fought to conceal his pain.

He pushed painfully off the wall, closing his eyes and clenching his teeth in protest. For a moment, he caught a glimpse of red grip marks on Sakura's neck where Kourya had forced himself on her, and a tinge of guilt and sadness surged through his heart.

"Syaoran-kun, be careful, you're wounded so badly!" Sakura winced, and she tore a piece of her dress off as she spoke, using it as a towel in an effort to dab some blood from his wounds.

"I'm… sorry." He managed again in his raspy voice. He tried to clear his throat but to no avail. The lashes to his chest must have wounded his lungs more than the rest of the whips to his body. "I… sorry for… let you… get… hurt… Sakura…" Syaoran pushed her hand gently away as he spoke, and reached out to further examine the red marks on her neck in concern. His fingers felt ice cold from the frigid air, yet it gave saddening warmth to Sakura…to feel the real Syaoran's touch again.

"No, Syaoran, I'm fine, but look at you, you're hurt. Did Kourya do this to you?"

Another stab pierced Syaoran's heart as he recalled the conversation he had had with Kourya earlier. But the sudden memory of his conversation with Fye, back on the cold hill waiting for the sorceress to come, flashed through his mind.

"Sa…kura…"

"Shh, Syaoran, save your strength," she dabbed gently on the wound across his chest and a stinging sensation ran through his nerves at every touch. Syaoran could not understand…usually he'd feel no pain because he knew it was all for Sakura, but why was this one time affecting him so much? Was it because of Sakura? Guilt due to causing her pain? _Maybe…the pain in my heart is affecting my sense of physical pain…_

"No…this can't…wait."

Sakura stopped applying pressure to the wound on his chest and looked back up into his eyes and could see the brown pupils clouded with veils of suffering…from his injuries or his heart?

"I am not…getting married." His voice was beginning to grow clearer, but the energy to sit up right was murdering him as it stretched the wound on his chest. "I don't love Esmerelda."

"Syaoran…"

"I'm sorry if I hurt you…I never meant to do anything that would cause you any pain. If my actions…if my pain…causes you to stop smiling, I wouldn't want you to see me. I'd give up anything for you to smile again. If you'll be happier without me around, I'll disappear for you." Syaoran lifted a hand painful from the cobble floor, and gently stroke her soft cheek, rubbing away a lingering teardrop. A hint of a sincere smile spread across his face, and he leaned towards her. Syaoran whispered gently into her ear, ignoring the pain crying out from his wounds.

"I… love you."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
XD Finally done typing! I was trying to have this done for Valentines, but homework really got me trapped. But it's done! ) So Syaoran confessed! silently celebrates to self It took me a while to write this chapter because I kept stopping and screaming "I CAN'T DO THIS!" I've caused them so much pain '' But trust me (really really!) it's going to get WAYYY better! XD Less sad! Really! So what will Sakura reply to Syaoran's (finally) confession? What exactly drove Ameko to turn into Sephiria? And what is the connection she has with this world? Kourya is still a threat too… what will the gang do! - Stay tuned! 


	8. Chapter 8: Redemption of Souls

**Author's notes: **

Wow… I haven't updated in months have I? I'm sooo sorry. My last school term was mayhem and deprived me of anytime to write… but here's the next chapter ) I think I've lost my trails of thought because it was kinda hard to write ' I hope you enjoy it though! And thank you to all those who've helped motivate me and took the time to ask if I was still writing ) Thank you! Also, as some of you may know, the current manga chapters released by CLAMP have already told the story of Syaoran and the clone but since my ideas that this story are based on were created before that, things that will happen later in this story will be different than the manga. Without further ado, here it is! 

**Note:** I do not own any of the characters: they're copyright of CLAMP and I don't take credit for any EXISTING characters, though I do create a few of my own. My story is about a new world that Syaoran and the gang go to. Please note that it takes place after they leave the Oûto world (the world where they actually were inside a game). **I created personality and background features for characters still mysterious in the Tsubasa series: they may not (well, most likely aren't) be what CLAMP has planned for them, but for the purpose of my story, that's how they are! (Especially for Fye)** Ok? That's enough for now. Enjoy!

**What happened last time:**

"_I am not…getting married." His voice was beginning to grow clearer, but the energy to sit up right was murdering him as it stretched the wound on his chest. "I don't love Esmerelda."_

"_Syaoran…"_

"_I'm sorry if I hurt you…I never meant to do anything that would cause you any pain. If my actions…if my pain…causes you to stop smiling, I wouldn't want you to see me. I'd give up anything for you to smile again. If you'll be happier without me around, I'll disappear for you." Syaoran lifted a hand painfully from the cobble floor, and gently stroke her soft cheek, rubbing away a lingering teardrop. A hint of a sincere smile spread across his face, and he leaned towards her. Syaoran whispered gently into her ear, ignoring the pain crying out from his wounds._

"_I… love you." _

* * *

**Chapter 8: Redemption of Souls**

For a brief moment, Sakura felt as if time had frozen that instant. Syaoran's words echoed gently in her head, and her heart came to a standstill as they triggered a sense of sad guilt at believing that he loved Esmerelda. Yet an overwhelming joy spread through her body at a single though… _He loves me too… he loves me like I love him._ Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck again and pulled him towards her. She could feel the curtain of depression rise from around her heart, giving way to her old optimism.

But Syaoran placed a hand on her arm and pulled it gently from his neck. Sakura felt her heart sink, and the curtain seemed to stall.

"Sakura, I meant what I said." He winced as he staggered to his feet and his wounds stretched painfully. As he took a few uncertain steps away from Sakura, she sat on the cobble floor in surprise.

"I caused you pain, and I don't want to see you hurt. I'll disappear from your life… and perhaps…" Syaoran tightly closed his eyes. The next thought was just as painful for him to think as it was to say. "…perhaps Kourya can make you smile again."

The words crushed Sakura. "W-what?" Sakura managed to stumble. "Kourya?"

Syaoran bent down cautiously to pick up his sword to leave. He felt the wounds stretch painfully on his body but tried desperately to ignore the pain. Snow pounced silently upon it, trying not to allow Syaoran to take Hien. The little bear gave Syaoran a meaningful stare with its grey eyes and sprawled to fully put his entire weight on the sword.

"Syaoran, why? Why do you think I should be with… Kourya?" She stared sadly at his back, canvassed with wounds. A beam of light from the discarded lantern splashed upon his chocolate brown hair and clearly depicted the deep, long lashes in his skin. Sakura couldn't help but feel tears welling up again.

Syaoran sighed gently and stood up again, his back still facing her. "He shows you that he has feelings for you, does he not? I don't… and I don't think I have the courage to either… its how I am I guess. And… my love for you isn't right."

Sakura's heart shattered. _Not right?_

He recalled the day he'd come home from the excavation and his brief talk with the picture of his deceased father. "Sakura, you're the beautiful young princess of Clow. And I'm a commoner. It's not right for me to love you, you're too…" he turned his head and gave her a sad smile. "…too good for me."

"No!" Sakura ran to him and flung his arms around his waist, catching him by surprise. They went crashing to the floor and she landed upon of his chest. "No, I don't want to be with him, I want to be with you!" She dug her cheek into the crook of his neck.

"I love you, I love you, I love you!"

Her words ran out in the small room and stillness fell upon the two. Sakura clung to him for dear life, as Syaoran's shock slowly faded to a tiny smile and he looked down at her soft auburn hair.

"I-it's ok if you cause me pain." Her voice came in a muffled whisper. "I know I cause you pain too. I know we must've known each other in the past before I lost me memories. But every night, as I try so hard to remember who you are, it never comes. All of my fragmented memories… so many had someone missing in them. And every time I decide who that person is, I instantly forget. I don't know how… I don't know why… all I know is that I definitely knew you from before."

She lifted her head and stared into his brown eyes, shining tenderly in the light of the lantern. "You've always kept so quiet, you must remember about us, even though I don't."

She placed her hand over his heart gently, and Syaoran felt something within him relax at her touch.. Sakura smiled softly. "I've caused a pain to your heart…" Removing her hand, she reached up to wipe away lingering blood on his face as her smile faded. ".. and a pain to your body.

"So Syaoran," she continued, keeping her hand on his face. "Please don't wound your own heart thinking that you've hurt me. We're even… and pain is part of being human right? It's the pain we feel in our lives that just make our happiness more powerful and strong. It's the sadness and the grief, the anger and the torment… that emphasizes the times when we can truly smile. I'm not saying pain is good, but it isn't bad either. We can look at our pains in a different light and our view will change. Even though I may never remember you, you can remember for me, just like I would for you. And even though the past is important, the present and future are too. Right now, we still have each other, and that means the world to me. A-and the way you hurt me… can be seen in another light too. Because of what's happened between us, it's led to this one happy moment… this moment where we both are together and both know we love each other. Syaoran, the pain has made this all the more happier for us, don't you think?"

His lips parted into a true smile and Sakura felt her heart warm a bit. _Sakura was still the same as always,_ he thought.

"Yes Sakura. I think this is the happiest moment of my life."

She beamed radiantly at him in return and hugged him again, rubbing her cheek against his as she finally felt his arms encircling her to hold her tight. Her sadness melted away, and she wondered how she could ever have felt sad before in her room by the fire.

They lay happily in each other's warmth, all their troubles simmering away. Syaoran's physical pain seemed to evaporate as he felt Sakura in his arms. It felt as if it was her touch that erased his pain. He held on tighter to her, and could smell her scent in her hair. Syaoran couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief to have her in his arms at last.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Metallic clangs ran through the air as the fight outside the icy castle raged on. With Kurogane constantly keeping a close distance to Sephiria, it allowed her no time to cast a spell, only to defend herself. The sounds of swordplay rang through the air as cold silver metal clashed against bitter blue ice.

Fye sat a little distance away with a furrowed brow, as he tried to piece together Sephiria's relationship to this world.

"What the hell _clang_ are you doing _clang_ just sitting there!" Kurogane grunted through a few strikes against the sorceress. "I could _clang_ use a little_clang_ help here!" He let out a long swipe and he could hear the hiss in the air as his sword cut the air horizontally. Sephiria dodged it with a glare in her red eyes.

"Get out of my way!" She shouted, aiming her staff at him. Finally getting a good distance, she made the feather glow blue. The light dimmed as fast as it had come.

Kurogane stared for a moment in shock, then sneered as he glanced at the sorceress through slitted eyes. "Heh. Spell's not working?" He shouldered his sword against his shoulder, giving his signature sneer.

"Oh-ho…" She returned the sneer and pitcher the end of her staff into the ground with finality. "Think again, you spineless worm."

Kurogane turned in time to see a giant snake made of ice hiss once behind him before feeling a crushing sensation. The crystallized snake wound around him, bonding him tightly in its grip. Kurogane's sword clattered to the ground as the snake's body hardened into its final form, caging him in a bitter-cold confinement with no room for him to move. Fye leapt to his feet with a serious look of worry.

"Shit! What'd u do that for?"

"Did you think I'd let you continue your swords play? You are far more experienced at it than I… and only a fool would continue. Don't underestimate me, I'm just playing my strengths…"

Fye shook his head silently and let out a short sigh. "Kuro-tan, I would've thought you stronger…"

"Now is NOT THE TIME TO BE JOKING WITH ME!" Kurogane shouted in anger, feeling the chill of the ice around his neck. He tried to move, but only felt a growing pressure against his armour whenever he moved a muscle.

"What the hell is with this ice!"

"Scorpio necto – snake bind. The ice gets colder, and grows every time you move. Now Fye… what will you do? Care to let an old friend pass or must I fight you as well?"

"Ameko-"

"My name is Sephiria. Ameko died decades ago."

"Ameko's body may have been taken, and what stands before me now is just the ghost of the body but Ameko's heart and soul still live on in this world with you." Fye strode a few steps towards her, each step as cautious as the next. "Sephiria, don't you think you should set Ameko free? Let her join her body and let her rest in-"

"You know NOTHING! You know nothing at all about what happened here 100 years ago, you don't know what Ameko went through, so don't speak as if you know what's best for her." Sephiria's voice ran cold through the night air, yet a tinge of shakiness was hidden in her tones.

Fye came to a stop a few metres away, showing no fear. The grass flattened under his feet and a gentle wind blew, rustling the grass beneath them. Fye kept his glance unwavering upon her, the gently twinkling of the sea of stars above reflecting in his blue eyes. He remained silent, staring into Sephiria's blood-red eyes as if gazing into her heart and soul.

"After you sent us away to this world, Ameko thought she could be happy, and soon fell in love with the prince, but what good did it do? The love just caused her more pain. IT was foolish and stupid of her."

"You mean the both of you." Fye dared.

It hit Sephiria with a shock. "Wh-… How dare you accuse me of-"

"Loving someone? Caring for another? Sephiria, I may not know you well, but I know Ameko and I know your hearts are entwined. What emotions she feels eventually grow into you as well. If she loved the prince than so did you."

"I said it was FOOLISH!" Sephiria shouted, her shoulders heaving slightly with rising anger. The feather quivered slightly in its icy cage, and her grip upon the blue staff tightened.

"Do you think she meant to fall in love? Do you think that I… I of all people would fall for a human? At first Lindon was just another man in this world but the more she heard about him and saw him, the more she felt that she was falling in love… falling head over heels in love for a man she barely knew personally until he saved her from some robbers. That measly act… that one heroic act drew them closer together. As days wore by and Lindon continued visiting Ameko, first using the excuse of seeing how she was and if she was alright… slowly they began to seem like friends but deep down, both were falling deeper and deeper into the pit hole of human affection. She brought the pain and sadness upon herself. And because I was her other half, I was… I was forced to feel that emotion too."

Sephiria's voice had grown softer in the course of her words, and her soft, straight brown hair wavered slightly in the night wind.

"He began giving her tokens of his love to her on his visits… necklaces, jewels, dresses… Ameko treasured each as closely as she treasured her own life. Then weeks later, the prospect of Lindon's marriage became the talk of the kingdom.

"Ameko was selected as one of the chosen candidates to be Lindon's bride, and she was overwhelmed with joy. At the time, I could feel a little happiness too from this news, though I wasn't sure why… I reasoned with myself that the reason was that if Ameko was chosen as the bride, I would have a chance at the power of the kingdom. I could take over her body at any time and assume the position of power which she would take.

"The throne of Silan." Fye stated with a slight nod and he crossed his arms patiently, his white figure framed against the dark sea of green grass behind him.

"Yes… but there were things Lindon, Ameko, and I did not know… things that meant the difference between joy and heartache." Sephiria's red eyes flashed green for the briefest moment as she lowered her head slightly.

"That's when Ameko's… and my hope for a happy life smashed to oblivion… goes to show the love was never meant to be."

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Yes sorry sorry, it's a short chapter compared to chapter 7 ' its like… a little more than half the length I think. I wasn't too sure how I wanted to end it as well… the part after this that I have planned takes a while to write and I've made you guys await Sakura's reply for too long. I hope you enjoyed the Sakura x Syao scene ) There's more of it coming up so please stay tuned! So what happened to Sephiria/Ameko and Lindon? Don't forget Kourya… what is he going to do next now that Sakura and Syaoran have confessed their love for each other? Will Kurogane ever get out of his snake bind? How did Fei Wong ever get involved in this? Lots to be explained, lots coming up! - Please stay tuned! 


End file.
